GLP-1 Medication
A prescription medication class that mimics the GLP-1 hormone to regulate appetite and blood sugar, used in weight management and type 2 diabetes.
Plain English
Patient-Friendly Explanation
GLP-1 medication is a prescription medicine that mimics a natural gut hormone called GLP-1, which regulates appetite and blood sugar. It makes you feel full sooner and less hungry between meals, helping you eat less without constant willpower. In Singapore it is available only through a doctor's prescription and assessment.
Medical
Clinical Definition
GLP-1 receptor agonists are incretin-based therapies that activate glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors, enhancing glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppressing glucagon release, slowing gastric emptying and reducing appetite via central and peripheral pathways. As a class they produce mean weight loss of approximately 5–15% depending on the agent, dose and treatment duration, and they improve glycaemic control. Common side effects are gastrointestinal — nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation — and are usually transient, mitigated by slow dose escalation. Class-level contraindications include a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. Prescribing follows HSA-registered indications and requires baseline assessment and monitoring.
Key Insight
Why It Matters
GLP-1 medicines are among the most effective medical tools we have for obesity — but they work best as part of a structured programme, not as a standalone shot. Our reviews cover dosing, side effects and the eating plan that makes them work.
Sources
Reviewed against standard medical references.
Medically reviewed by
Family Physician & Registered Acupuncturist, Accord Medical Clinic. MBBS (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture (Singapore College of TCM).
Last reviewed: August 2026
This page is general health education, not medical advice. Whether any treatment is appropriate for you is a decision made in consultation after assessment.
