GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1)
A gut hormone released after eating that triggers insulin, slows digestion, and signals fullness — the target of semaglutide.
GLP-1 is an incretin hormone produced in the intestine within minutes of a meal. It performs a coordinated set of jobs: prompting the pancreas to release insulin when glucose rises, suppressing glucagon, slowing the stomach's emptying so fuel arrives gradually, and acting on appetite centers in the brain to produce the feeling of having had enough.
Natural GLP-1 is destroyed in minutes, which is why the hormone itself can't be a drug — but engineered agonists like semaglutide and liraglutide activate the same receptors for days. Nearly every term in modern weight medicine traces back to this hormone: "GLP-1 drugs," "GLP-1 receptor agonists," and the famous quieting of food noise are all descriptions of this one signal, amplified and sustained.
This glossary entry is general information, not medical advice, and is written to be consistent with FDA prescribing information and primary trial publications as of its last review. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider for personal medical decisions.
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