GLP-1 Questions, Answered
We track what people are actually searching for about GLP-1 medication and answer the most common questions, one page at a time, with the sources we used.
Which GLP-1 is best for weight loss?
Tirzepatide beat semaglutide head-to-head, 20.2% vs 13.7% at 72 weeks. The two 2026 pills land at 12-14%. What each one costs without insurance, and which one is right depends on more than the biggest number.
Updated 2026-09-16
Which GLP-1 is best for cardiovascular benefit?
Semaglutide has the only placebo-controlled heart-outcome trial in people with obesity and no diabetes. Tirzepatide's trial was against another GLP-1, in diabetics. Why that difference matters.
Updated 2026-09-13
What does GLP-1 do in the body?
GLP-1 is a gut hormone released after eating. The drugs copy it, last a week instead of minutes, and act on the pancreas, stomach and brain at once. A plain explanation of the mechanism.
Updated 2026-09-13
How long do GLP-1 side effects last?
Trial data puts a typical nausea episode at about eight days, vomiting at two, diarrhoea at three, and constipation at 47. When they start, when they peak, and when new ones stop appearing.
Updated 2026-09-13
How fast does GLP-1 weight loss happen?
Weight loss on semaglutide is measurable by week 4, but the full dose is not reached until week 16 and most of the loss comes after that. The month-by-month picture from STEP and SURMOUNT.
Updated 2026-09-13
Does compounded GLP-1 need to be refrigerated?
Yes, before and after opening. Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide vials stay in the fridge at 36-46°F; the brand-name pens get a room-temperature window after first use that compounded vials do not.
Updated 2026-09-13
Why is compounded semaglutide so much cheaper than Wegovy?
Compounded semaglutide runs $99-$199 a month against brand-name cash prices many times higher. The reasons are structural, and one of them is the reason it carries more risk.
Updated 2026-09-02
Is there an oral GLP-1?
Oral GLP-1 medication exists and one version is now FDA-approved for weight management. What the approved pill is, what it is not, and how compounded oral options differ.
Updated 2026-09-10
Is compounded semaglutide still legal?
The semaglutide shortage is over, the FDA has proposed removing it from the 503B bulks list, and warning letters have gone out. What that means for compounded GLP-1 you can still buy.
Updated 2026-09-02