GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Metabolic Medicine: Mechanisms, Clinical Applications, Current Challenges, and Future Directions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.4074Keywords:
GLP-1 receptor agonists, GLP-1, Type 2 diabetes, Obesity, Metabolic disease, Incretin hormones, Weight management, Cardiovascular disease, Insulin secretion, Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, Metabolic medicineAbstract
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, often referred to as GLP-1RAs, may have ushered in
a new era for treating type-2 diabetes, obesity, and adjacent metabolic ailments. These drugs
bolster the natural effects of GLP-1, a gut hormone that assists the body in insulin release
following meals, by reducing glucagon secretion, stagnating gastric emptying, and increasing
the sensation of satiation. Due to natural GLP-1 being quickly broken down by dipeptidyl
petidase-4 (DPP-4), researchers have developed longer-lasting synthetic alternatives that
remain active for extended periods of time.
The following evaluation serves to examine how GLP-1 operates within the body, how
alternatives have developed over time, and how they are being utilized in treating diabetes,
obesity, heart disease reduction, and liver disease research. Although the benefits are nontrivial,
there are legitimate practical and clinical concerns including gastrointestinal side effects, lean
muscle loss, high cost, limited accessibility, and long term efficacy. In the future, research is
likely to hone in on better-tolerated drugs, oral and small-molecule options, and therapies that
simultaneously target multiple receptors.
References
. Davies, M., Pieber, T. R., Hartoft-Nielsen, M., Hansen, O. K. H., Jabbour, S., & Rosenstock, J. (2017). Effect of oral semaglutide compared with placebo and subcutaneous semaglutide on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. JAMA, 318(15), 1460. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2017.14752
. Drucker, D. J. (2018). Mechanisms of action and therapeutic application of glucagon-like peptide-1. Cell Metabolism, 27(4), 740–756. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2018.03.001
. Finan, B., Yang, B., Ottaway, N., Smiley, D. L., Ma, T., Clemmensen, C., Chabenne, J., Zhang, L., Habegger, K. M., Fischer, K., Campbell, J. E., Sandoval, D., Seeley, R. J., Bleicher, K., Uhles, S., Riboulet, W., Funk, J., Hertel, C., Belli, S., . . . Tschöp, M. H. (2014). A rationally designed monomeric peptide triagonist corrects obesity and diabetes in rodents. Nature Medicine, 21(1), 27–36. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.3761
. Holst, J. J. (2007b). The physiology of glucagon-like peptide 1. Physiological Reviews, 87(4), 1409–1439. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00034.2006
. Nauck, M. A., & Meier, J. J. (2018). Incretin hormones: Their role in health and disease. Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism, 20(S1), 5–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.13129
Downloads
Posted
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Research Archive of Rising Scholars
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
