Weight-Loss Drugs Target the Brain to Cause Satiation Before Eating: Study

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, the active ingredient in weight-loss drugs like tirzepatide and semaglutide, promote satiation even before a person begins his or her meal, a new study suggests. The findings, published in Science on Thursday, indicate that the drug influences a brain pathway in the hypothalamus, causing a person to feel full when he or she encounters food. “Humans injected with GLP-1 receptor agonists experienced a higher degree of satiation merely from seeing or smelling food, even before ingesting it,” one of the authors, Dr. Joon Seok Park, said in a video about the study. GLP-1 receptor agonists have been on the market since 2017 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved semaglutide Ozempic as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. In 2021, the FDA approved Wegovy, another semaglutide, for chronic weight management in adults suffering from at least one weight-related health condition, like high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol....