GLP-1

Research

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (native hormone)

Aliases
GLP-1 (7-36)
Administration
Not applicable — native hormone, not administered directly due to rapid degradation

Overview

GLP-1 is the native incretin hormone released by the gut after eating, responsible for stimulating insulin secretion, suppressing glucagon, and signaling satiety. Its extremely short half-life makes the native hormone unsuitable as a drug — this is why every approved 'GLP-1 drug' is actually an engineered, longer-lasting analog rather than GLP-1 itself.

Treatments studied

Treatment categories

Basis for all GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs (semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide)

Its natural blood-sugar and appetite-regulating actions are the template every synthetic GLP-1 drug is engineered to extend and amplify.