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Plain-English guides
Plain-English guides on GLP-1s and peptides. Every piece is reviewed against our editorial standards: no dosing instructions, no “best peptide” claims, no miracle marketing — just the questions to bring to your clinician.
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Last updated 2026-07-06 · refreshed weekly
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Safety
GLP-1 medications linked to reduced physical activity in first large wearable study
A large wearable study at ENDO 2026 found GLP-1 users took fewer daily steps and exercised less after starting treatment. Here’s what the data shows — and why it matters.
4 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Foundations
GLP-1 medications and your heart and kidneys: what 2026 research shows
Real-world 2026 data from Nature Medicine suggests GLP-1 medications may protect the heart and kidneys beyond weight loss alone. Here’s what the evidence actually shows — and what it doesn’t.
5 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Safety
GLP-1 medications and bone density: what a new study found — and what it doesn't prove
A 2026 Weill Cornell study found greater hip bone loss in people without diabetes who use semaglutide or tirzepatide. Here's what the data actually shows — and what one retrospective study can't establish.
5 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Safety
What to check before injecting a compounded GLP-1: the FDA's fraud red flags
The FDA has confirmed fraudulent compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide with false pharmacy labels. Here are the specific red flags to check — and how to verify your pharmacy before your next dose.
6 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Editor's picks
Start here
Foundations
GLP-1s vs peptides: what's the difference?
A plain-English breakdown of what GLP-1 medications are, how they relate to the broader 'peptide' category, and why the distinction matters when you read marketing online.
11 min · Updated 2026-05-27
Safety
GLP-1 side effects: what to track
A practical list of side effects commonly reported with GLP-1 therapy, what they often mean, and what to log so your clinician can act on patterns.
11 min · Updated 2026-05-27
Maintenance
What happens to your weight when you stop a GLP-1? A real-world study of nearly 8,000 patients
A Cleveland Clinic study of 7,938 patients found 45% of obesity patients kept weight off a year after stopping semaglutide or tirzepatide. Here's what the evidence actually shows.
5 min · Updated 2026-05-27
Foundations
Oral semaglutide is now available in the US — here's what that actually means
Two FDA-approved semaglutide pills launched in 2026 — one for type 2 diabetes, one for weight loss. Here's who each is for, how they differ from the shot, and what to ask your doctor.
5 min · Updated 2026-05-27
Browse by topic
Foundations
101-level explainers — start here if you're new to GLP-1s and peptides.
Foundations
GLP-1 medications and your heart and kidneys: what 2026 research shows
Real-world 2026 data from Nature Medicine suggests GLP-1 medications may protect the heart and kidneys beyond weight loss alone. Here’s what the evidence actually shows — and what it doesn’t.
5 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Foundations
Beyond weight loss: what a Lancet review says about GLP-1 medications
A 2026 Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology review examined GLP-1 benefits across heart disease, kidneys, sleep apnea, and more. Here's what the evidence supports, where it's still preliminary, and what 'disease-modifying' actually means in this context.
6 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Foundations
What to ask before choosing a peptide clinic
A vetted checklist of questions to ask any telehealth or in-person clinic offering GLP-1 or peptide therapy, before you hand over a credit card.
10 min · Updated 2026-05-27
Medications
Drug-by-drug guides — semaglutide, tirzepatide, retatrutide, and the new oral GLP-1s.
Medications
Survodutide Phase 3 data explained: what the SYNCHRONIZE trials found
Survodutide's Phase 3 trials showed 16.6% weight loss and 63% liver fat reduction at 76 weeks. Here's what the data means for patients — and what remains unknown.
5 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Medications
CagriSema: what it is, where it stands, and what the trial data actually show
Novo Nordisk's CagriSema achieved ~23% weight loss in Phase 3 trials but failed to demonstrate non-inferiority to tirzepatide in a head-to-head test. An NDA is under FDA review. Here's what patients following the pipeline need to know.
3 min · Updated 2026-06-17
Medications
CagriSema and REIMAGINE 2: what Phase 3 results mean for people with type 2 diabetes
Phase 3 REIMAGINE 2 data show CagriSema reduced HbA1c and weight significantly more than semaglutide alone in adults with type 2 diabetes — here's what patients need to understand.
5 min · Updated 2026-06-17
Safety
Side effects, adverse events, and what to actually watch for during therapy.
Safety
GLP-1 medications linked to reduced physical activity in first large wearable study
A large wearable study at ENDO 2026 found GLP-1 users took fewer daily steps and exercised less after starting treatment. Here’s what the data shows — and why it matters.
4 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Safety
GLP-1 medications and bone density: what a new study found — and what it doesn't prove
A 2026 Weill Cornell study found greater hip bone loss in people without diabetes who use semaglutide or tirzepatide. Here's what the data actually shows — and what one retrospective study can't establish.
5 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Safety
What to check before injecting a compounded GLP-1: the FDA's fraud red flags
The FDA has confirmed fraudulent compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide with false pharmacy labels. Here are the specific red flags to check — and how to verify your pharmacy before your next dose.
6 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Maintenance
Hitting goal weight, staying there, and what stopping actually looks like.
Maintenance
GLP-1 persistence has nearly doubled since 2021 — what the research shows
A new JMCP study finds 1-year GLP-1 persistence increased from 33.2% in 2021 to 60.9% in 2024. Here's what's driving the shift — and what it means for patients.
5 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Maintenance
Who stops a GLP-1 — and who comes back: what a 60,000-patient study found
A 60,000-patient ENDO 2026 study found 4 in 10 people stop a GLP-1 within a year — and more than half eventually restart. Here's what the data shows.
6 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Maintenance
Stopping a GLP-1: what the evidence says about weight regain
A 2026 BMJ systematic review found that most people regain the majority of their lost weight within about 18 months of stopping a GLP-1 medication. Here's what…
5 min · Updated 2026-06-08
Comparisons
Head-to-head: branded vs. compounded, semaglutide vs. tirzepatide, and what the trials actually showed.
Comparisons
Tirzepatide vs. semaglutide for heart health: what a real-world study of 297,842 patients found
A Nature Medicine study of 297,842 patients found comparable cardiovascular outcomes for tirzepatide vs. semaglutide. What that means and what it doesn't.
5 min · Updated 2026-05-28
Comparisons
Branded vs compounded GLP-1s, explained
Cost, legality, and oversight differ between brand-name GLP-1s and their compounded counterparts. Here's a structured way to think about the trade-offs.
12 min · Updated 2026-05-27
Comparisons
Tirzepatide vs. semaglutide: what the SURMOUNT-5 head-to-head trial actually showed
SURMOUNT-5 was the first head-to-head RCT comparing tirzepatide and semaglutide. Tirzepatide produced 20.2% vs 13.7% average weight loss at 72 weeks. Here's what those numbers mean — and don't mean.
3 min · Updated 2026-05-27
Industry & Regulation
FDA action, 503B/503A rules, warning letters, and what telehealth shifts mean for patients.
Industry & Regulation
Wegovy's $199 starter price ends June 30: what's next
Wegovy's introductory $199/month NovoCare savings offer for injectable starter doses expires after June 30, 2026. Here's what current patients face on July 1 and what options exist.
5 min · Updated 2026-07-06
Industry & Regulation
The FDA is reviewing 7 peptides for the compounding list. Here's what that actually means.
The FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meets July 23–24, 2026 to review BPC-157, TB-500, and 5 other peptides for the 503A Bulks List. Here's what that process actually involves — and what it doesn't.
4 min · Updated 2026-06-17
Industry & Regulation
'Peptides are legal again' — what the reclassification actually means
HHS announced that 12 peptides would move off the FDA's restricted compounding list. Here's what the April 2026 regulatory action actually changed — and what it didn't.
5 min · Updated 2026-06-17