Explainer
Evidence-led entry points for non-clinicians. What is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, what does ATC A10BX mean, why are some peptides legal in Russia but not the EU.
How semaglutide works across the body
A 2026 review reads semaglutide through a systems medicine lens, tracing the GLP-1 receptor agonist from trial outcomes to the molecular mediators underneath.
Weight-loss drugs and hypertension
A Cochrane review of eight trials finds insufficient evidence that weight-loss drugs cut mortality or cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients.
Eating disorder screens predict GLP-1 use
A US survey of 1,309 adults links positive eating disorder screens to higher GLP-1 awareness and telehealth drug-seeking.
GLP-1 drugs improve ratio but cut muscle
A 2026 meta-analysis of 7 RCTs finds GLP-1 receptor agonists raise the lean-to-fat ratio while causing a 1.74 kg average absolute lean mass loss.
GLP-1 drugs and lung safety: what we know
A 2026 systematic review examines pulmonary adverse events with GLP-1 receptor agonists, from mild upper-airway infections to perioperative aspiration risk.
Semaglutide tied to lower seizure risk
A target trial emulation using the All of Us database found semaglutide users had roughly half the seizure risk of adults on other glucose-lowering drugs.
Semaglutide may protect joints via muscle
A 2026 mouse study reports that semaglutide restores muscle mitochondrial function, raises glutamine, and reduces cartilage inflammation.
Semaglutide CV edge over tirzepatide
A 47-trial meta-analysis finds semaglutide cuts MACE by 29% and CV death by 19%. Tirzepatide trends protective but lacks the trial base to confirm it.
Semaglutide vs SGLT2 inhibitors in MASLD
A propensity-matched TriNetX study compares semaglutide against SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with fatty liver disease and type-2 diabetes.
Tirzepatide vs GLP-1s in spinal fusion
A 2026 retrospective study found tirzepatide users had fewer complications and revisions after spinal fusion than single-receptor GLP-1 agonist users.
Weight-loss drugs and fertility: the data
A meta-analysis of seven trials finds orlistat and semaglutide may boost ovulation and pregnancy rates in women with obesity.
BPC-157 side effects: what the data shows
BPC-157 has no approved label and no completed human safety trial. Here is what preclinical toxicology actually shows.