Today's weight-loss drugs work by changing how much we eat. Ozempic, Wegovy and the like – the GLP-1s – reduce our desire to eat by interfering with the hormones involved in blood sugar, appetite and feeling full.
Put simply, they make it easier to stick to a diet.
Cue the next generation of weight-loss drugs, which promise to do something radically different. Right now, drug companies are testing drugs that won’t necessarily change how much food we eat, but rather what our bodies do with that food.
These new drugs target the metabolic pathways governing how our bodies burn and store energy. Essentially, they alter the mechanics of the engine rather than how much fuel goes into it.
Manufacturers say these new drugs could help people keep the weight off for longer while avoiding the muscle wastage that comes with GLP-1s.
