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Alan Alda
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Understanding GLP-1 and the Rise of Ozempic: A Breakthrough in Diabetes and Obesity Treatment
Recently, there’s been a lot of media buzz about a specific medication called Ozempic. Many of you may have seen or heard stories about this “new drug” that’s making waves. But what you might not know is that while Ozempic itself is new, the class of medications it belongs to is not.
The Basics of GLP-1
The medication class Ozempic belongs to is called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonists. Researchers first discovered the GLP-1 hormone in the 1980s. GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. Interestingly, research into hormones like GLP-1 has been ongoing for over a century. In the 1960s, another hormone called GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) was discovered, but it was initially dismissed because it didn’t seem to help with insulin secretion.