Emily Kwong
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
Today on the show, a new era of weight loss medications.
We talk about the science behind the experimental pills.
You're listening to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.
Okay, Sydney, I want to talk about GLP-1s.
Am I saying that right?
How do they work?
The magic school bus, Ms.
That is correct.
Our generation's science teacher.
So in our bodies, the GLP-1 hormone does a good job of making you feel satisfied, but only for a short time.
How does GLP-1 medication work differently?
So this is why the retooling of the GLP-1 hormone is why Ozempic and similar injectables are taken weekly, because the chemical at the core of it all, smaglutide, has a half-life of a week.
These are two new pills, folks.
A semaglutide you can swallow and another different pill, which is a new compound.