TITLE:
GLP-1RA: New Hope in Obesity Therapy
AUTHORS:
Danfeng Zhang, Hongyun Lu
KEYWORDS:
Glucagon-Like Peptide-1, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists, Obesity, Clinical Application, Adverse Reactions
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.13 No.2,
February
26,
2025
ABSTRACT: Obesity has become a global chronic metabolic disease, posing a serious threat to public health. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an important hormone secreted by the L cells of the small intestine during food digestion. It plays a key role in maintaining glucose homeostasis, by promoting insulin synthesis and secretion, inhibiting glucagon release, and reducing hepatic glycogen output. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are analogs of GLP-1 that can resist degradation by DPP4 enzyme. They exert multiple physiological effects by activating the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) and its downstream signaling pathways, including enhancing insulin secretion, suppressing appetite, and slowing gastric emptying. As a new class of weight management drugs, GLP-1RAs have diverse weight loss mechanisms and significant clinical effects. The new GLP-1RA, which has better weight loss, better safety, and improved dosing methods, significantly improves patient compliance. This article systematically summarizes the mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists in weight loss treatment, aiming to provide new insights and evidence for clinicians when selecting medications for weight reduction.