When you eat a meal, your body needs to prepare to put the nutrients you just ingested to use. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a hormone which helps in this process.
GLP-1 is from the family of hormones called incretins, which include GLP-1 as well as another hormone called glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). These hormones are released by the gut in response to a meal, and help increase insulin secretion after eating, which helps the body regulate blood sugar levels.[1]
In addition, GLP-1 also slows gastric emptying and increases satiety, leading to decreased food intake. This property of GLP-1 has led to the use of a class of drugs that mimic GLP-1 (e.g., semaglutide, whose brand names include Wegovy and Ozempic) for weight loss.[2]
GLP-1 is made by cells in the brain as well as in the gut. Also, GLP-1’s receptor can be found in parts of the brain that are involved with eating behavior and hunger. This partially explains why drugs like semaglutide can help people lose weight.[3]