Eating Healthy / Nutrition

by Christina Wilson

If drug names like Ozempic and Wegovy ring any bells for you, it may be because you’ve heard about their role in promoting weight loss. These drugs are part of a class of drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists or GLP-1 receptor agonists. These medications work to lower glucose and inhibit appetite by stimulating hormones in our gut which then tell the pancreas to make insulin, our muscles to take in extra glucose, and our stomachs to empty more slowly.

With obesity rates skyrocketing, prescription drug companies have sought their own way to target the treatment of obesity. When it comes to prescription drug interventions, however, weight loss medications have led to their fair share of controversy over the years.

When semiglutides are prescribed for aid in weight loss, there is the potential risk of loss in lean body mass, which is why it is critical to maintain a proper diet with adequate protein and strength training exercise regimen.

Only you and your doctor can decide whether or not prescription weight loss drugs may be worth considering for you. Long-term efficacy and safety of these anti-obesity treatments are still being studied. These medications should always be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes such as improving diet and exercise, as studies are showing us that weight can be regained after stopping these medications. Keeping it off over the long term will still depend on healthier diet and lifestyle choices.

What Foods Increase GLP-1 Levels Naturally?

Is there any way you can naturally support your body’s production of GLP-1? Some studies have shown that boosting protein at meals may be helpful. Consuming adequate protein is important for weight loss for many reasons, and this is one more.

Encouraging a healthy microbiome might be another promising way to support your own production of GLP-1. One preliminary study showed that probiotics - specifically Lactobacillus reuteri - may enhance the release of incretin hormones like GLP-1. More studies are needed to fully understand this effect.

Here are a few natural ways to stay satiated longer:

Incorporating psyllium husk or other fiber like acacia fiber (Fiber - soluble, psyllium)
Prioritizing protein/peptides
Including fat (olive oil) (which induced the highest increment of GLP-1 section)
Including Resistant starch in your usual intake
Ensuring sources of probiotics are included
Along with ensuring intake of high-fiber grain products, nuts, avocados, and eggs, too!

Improvement of Glucose Tolerance by Food Factors Having Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Releasing Activity - PMC

Nutritional modulation of endogenous glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion: a review