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GLP-1 is a peptide hormone produced in the gut after a meal. It stimulates insulin secretion, helps maintain blood glucose homeostasis, and promotes satiety.
Last Updated:December 18, 2023
When you eat a meal, your body needs to prepare to put the nutrients you just ingested to use. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a hormone which helps in this process.
GLP-1 is from the family of hormones called incretins, which include GLP-1 as well as another hormone called glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). These hormones are released by the gut in response to a meal, and help increase insulin secretion after eating, which helps the body regulate blood sugar levels.[1]
In addition, GLP-1 also slows gastric emptying and increases satiety, leading to decreased food intake. This property of GLP-1 has led to the use of a class of drugs that mimic GLP-1 (e.g., semaglutide, whose brand names include Wegovy and Ozempic) for weight loss.[2]
GLP-1 is made by cells in the brain as well as in the gut. Also, GLP-1’s receptor can be found in parts of the brain that are involved with eating behavior and hunger. This partially explains why drugs like semaglutide can help people lose weight.[3]
A small handful of test tube and animal studies suggest that supplements such as yerba mate tea,[4] Momordica charantia extract,[5] berberine,[6] resveratrol,[7] curcumin,[8][9] and Ginseng[10][11] could boost GLP-1 levels.
However, the few randomized controlled trials that have looked at supplements’ impact on GLP-1 have yielded negative results: Green tea extract,[12] resveratrol,[13] and green-plant membranes[14] all don’t seem to boost GLP-1 levels.
The macronutrient content of a meal affects the amount of GLP-1 that’s released. GLP-1 is released mainly in response to the carbohydrates and fats in a meal. Protein stimulates GLP-1 release to a lesser extent.[15] This should not be interpreted as a license to eat large amounts of fat and carbs in order to boost your GLP-1 levels, though! A more promising way to healthily boost your GLP-1 levels is through exercise. GLP-1 seems to rise immediately after exercise, and baseline levels of GLP-1 in people who exercise remain elevated in the medium term, too.[16] Not only that, but exercise may help decrease GLP-1 resistance in people with type 2 diabetes and may make medications like semaglutide even more effective.[17]
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In this randomized crossover trial in men with obesity, aerobic exercise decreased appetite but did not affect calorie intake at a postexercise meal.
What was studied?
The effect of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on appetite in the context of obesity.
The primary outcome was the peptide YY level; higher levels are associated with satiety. The secondary outcomes included the following:
Who was studied?
11 men (average age of 22) with obesity.
How was it studied?
In this randomized crossover trial, the participants either cycled for 60 minutes at 60% of VO2peak or did not exercise (the control) and then consumed an ad libitum (no restrictions) meal. There was a washout period of at least 7 days between the trials.
On the day of the trial, the participants ate a standardized breakfast at 8 a.m. After breakfast, the participants rested for 60 minutes and then exercised or continued to rest. The ad libitum meal was eaten at 11:15 a.m.
Blood samples were collected at baseline (fasted) and up to 60 minutes after exercise. Appetite was assessed at baseline, 30 minutes after breakfast, and in 30-minute intervals until the start of the ad libitum meal.
What were the results?
Exercise decreased appetite, but calorie intake at the ad libitum meal did not differ between the conditions. There were also no differences for appetite-related hormone levels.
Anything else I need to know?
While calorie intake did not differ, it bears highlighting that the participants did not compensate for the increased energy expenditure during exercise by eating more at the ad libitum meal.
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What was studied?
The effect of dietary macronutrient composition on appetite-related hormone levels and energy intake.
Hormones that promote satiety were assessed, namely, peptide YY, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and leptin. Ghrelin — which increases hunger — was also assessed.
How was it studied?
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What was studied?
The effect of pecans versus tortilla chips as a midmorning snack on appetite and postmeal metabolic response.
The primary outcomes were energy (calorie) intake at lunch and appetite (desire to eat, fullness, hunger, and prospective food consumption). The secondary outcomes included levels of blood glucose, insulin, free fatty acids, and triglycerides after the meal.
How was it studied?
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Get started with Examine+ today.The big picture
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What was studied?
Whether the type of breakfast consumed influences subsequent energy intake.
The primary outcome was energy intake at an ad libitum lunch. The secondary outcomes were measures of appetite (fullness and hunger), total daily energy intake, blood glucose, insulin, appetite-regulating hormones (glucagon-like peptide 1, cholecystokinin, ghrelin), and cognitive concentration (processing speed and attention).
How was it studied?
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Get started with Examine+ today.The big picture
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Get started with Examine+ today.Anything else I need to know?
Get the latest evidence-based nutrition and supplement information, presented by a team of experts. Save time and money by learning what works.
Get started with Examine+ today.Non quaerat tenetur ad quae nulla. Voluptates possimus autem laboriosam dignissimos repellendus. Facilis a soluta facilis eligendi ex culpa. Nam nemo aperiam. Perferendis consequatur placeat. Unde quae et maiores. Itaque voluptate nostrum ipsa itaque. Officia facere dolore vero quasi natus delectus. Magnam non voluptatibus voluptatum nisi officiis consectetur.
What was studied?
The effects of early time-restricted carbohydrate consumption (eTRC) in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
The primary outcome was the change in HbA1c. The secondary outcomes included anthropometrics, fatty liver index, glucose tolerance, measures of glycemic variability (e.g., average glucose, time spent in hyperglycemia), fasting glucose and insulin, free fatty acids, glucagon-like peptide 1, beta-cell function, liver enzymes, blood pressure, heart rate, and blood lipids.
How was it studied?
Get the latest evidence-based nutrition and supplement information, presented by a team of experts. Save time and money by learning what works.
Get started with Examine+ today.What were the results?
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Get started with Examine+ today.The big picture
Get the latest evidence-based nutrition and supplement information, presented by a team of experts. Save time and money by learning what works.
Get started with Examine+ today.Anything else I need to know?
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Get started with Examine+ today.Full page update
We added a number of FAQs to this page, in light of it's increasing relevance to weight-loss drugs.