What is GLP-1? A beginner’s guide to semaglutide and tirzepatide
You have heard the names. Ozempic. Wegovy. Mounjaro. Zepbound. A friend lost weight on one of them, an ad told you another could change your life, and somewhere along the way someone said the word “GLP-1” like you should already know what it meant. You do not. Not yet. And that is fair, because the category went from medical-journal niche to dinner-table topic in about three years. Most articles still sound like they were written for doctors. This guide is the plain-English version. You will learn what GLP-1 is, what semaglutide and tirzepatide do, who the medications are for, and how access actually works in the US in 2026. Key takeaways GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone your gut releases after meals. GLP-1 medications copy that hormone and keep it active for much longer. Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus) and tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro) lead the category in 2026. Average weight…