Drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, colloquially called GLP-1 medications, have gone from relatively obscure diabetes treatments to blockbuster weight-loss medications. But is the hype backed up by science? In this episode, freelance science journalist Bethany Brookshire joins host Kendra Pierre-Louis to talk about how these drugs mimic natural hormones, why they’re so effective and what the latest research about their broader health effects says. Plus, we discuss what a recently rolled-out GLP-1 pill, the first of its kind approved for obesity, could mean for the future of weight loss.

Recommended Reading:

<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/wegovy-weight-loss-pills-hit-u-s-pharmacies-costs-and-treatments-explained/">Wegovy Weight-Loss Pills Are Now Available in the U.S.—Here’s What That Means</a>“<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/health/article/glp-1-drugs-eating-disorder-risks">Doctors Are Worried about Prescribing GLP-1s to Certain Patients,” by Bethany Brookshire, in National Geographic. Published online November 20, 2025</a>

“<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/health/article/glp1-alzheimers-dementia-memory">The Unexpected Ways Ozempic-like Drugs Might Fight Dementia,” by Bethany Brookshire, in National Geographic. Published online June 17, 2025</a> 

“<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/health/article/ozempic-fertility-pregnancy-birth-control">Is There Really an Ozempic Baby Boom? The Unexpected Ways GLP-1s Could Influence Fertility,” by Bethany Brookshire, in National Geographic. Published online November 4, 2025</a>

E-mail us at <a href="mailto:sciencequickly@sciam.com">sciencequickly@sciam.com</a> if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

Discover something new everyday: <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/getsciam/?utm_source=promotion&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may24-marketing2024_subscribetext&utm_term=LP_subscribe_v1_s1_podcast">subscribe</a> to Scientific American and <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/account/email-preferences/?utm_source=promotion&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may24-marketing2024_signuptext&utm_term=LP_signup_v1_s1_podcast">sign up</a> for our daily newsletter.
Science Quickly is produced by Kendra Pierre-Louis, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists

Weighing the Good and Bad of Weight-Loss Drugs

60-Second Science

AI Chapters

AI Insights

Reviews