GLP-1 Medications: What They Do, Who They Help, and How to Support Your Body While Taking GLP-1s
GLP-1 Medications: What They Do, Who They Help, and How to Support Your Body While Taking GLP-1s
Author: Emily Grochowski and Team Grove
A person’s health journey is rarely a straight shot to unshakeable wellness, and most often includes ups, downs, frustrations, and successes. If you’ve been consistently hitting the gym, modifying your diet, and are still struggling with weight/body composition, energy, or metabolic concerns, you’re not alone. Chances are, you’ve heard about GLP-1 receptor agonist medications and the potential benefits they might bring to bear on your health concerns and goals.
We sat down with Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Emily Grochowski to unpack what GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP1’s) medications actually do, who may benefit from using them, and how to support your body along the way — so you can make informed decisions with confidence and care.
So who are GLP-1’s for, really?
These medications are not one-size-fits-all and because all of us and our health conditions and wellness goals are unique, it is always recommended that everyone consult with their personal, trusted, qualified medical professional(s) before starting this type of therapy.
That said, good candidates for GLP-1s might include:
Those living with metabolic syndrome or conditions like high blood sugar, hypertension, high cholesterol, or fatty liver
People who already eat well and move regularly (both resistance training and cardiovascular movement), but struggle to reduce excess body fat or maintain a balanced body composition
Folks whose weight may limit daily activity or face increased risk for conditions like sleep apnea, kidney disease, or dementia
Even so, there are serious considerations.
How do they work?
GLP-1s (and newer GIP agonist receptor drugs) have been shown to have a myriad of effects on multiple organs/organ systems, with five major ones being:
Pancreas: Helps regulate insulin and glucagon secretion, which tends to lower blood sugar both in response to and after meals (respectively). GLP1s have also been shown to benefit blood sugar balance by protecting the pancreatic cells that produce insulin.¹
Stomach: Slows digestion, especially emptying of food from the stomach, thereby enhancing feelings of fullness and reducing the rate of absorption of sugar and carbohydrates from foods.²
Brain: Reduce perceived appetite, often leading to less intense sense of hunger and fewer cravings, thus easing efforts to moderate food intake.³
Muscle: Improves the sensitivity of muscle cells to insulin signalling leading to increased glucose utilization for energy.⁴
Adipose (fat) tissue: Encourages greater fat tissue breakdown and fat cell insulin sensitivity, which has a multitude of anti-inflammatory and generally metabolically supportive impacts.⁵
What you need to know before starting
While GLP-1s are generally considered low risk medications, there are several important factors to consider before beginning treatment and again, as always consult with at least one medical professional before beginning therapy to ensure appropriate use and treatment monitoring. These medications are not recommended for individuals who are pregnant, have a history of eating disorders, pancreatitis, or unmanaged gastrointestinal conditions such as heartburn, acid reflux, gastroparesis, Celiac disease, or Crohn’s Disease.
GLP-1s are also not appropriate for:
Individuals who are underweight or undernourished
Those at risk for sarcopenia (muscle loss)
People with low muscle mass or nutritional deficiencies
Adults over 65 with osteopenia, osteoporosis, or a recent history of fractures
In these cases, reduced appetite and unintended weight loss can accelerate muscle and bone loss, making close medical supervision essential.
It’s also very common to experience side effects — up to half of users do — including symptoms like nausea, constipation, bloating, dehydration, fatigue, and muscle loss. Because these drugs suppress appetite and thirst, staying hydrated and well-nourished is essential. A daily hydration target (like drinking half your body weight in ounces of water) can help reduce symptoms. Eating slowly and focusing on meals rich in protein and fiber may also improve comfort and effectiveness.
Even for those who are good candidates for these medications, it’s also important to monitor lean tissue levels (e.g. DEXA scan and/or Bioimpedance Analysis/BIA) throughout treatment. While most evidence doesn’t suggest dramatic loss of muscle or bone from GLP-1s alone, keeping tabs on strength, mass, and nutritional status can help ensure your body composition and overall wellness remain supported long-term.
Your nutrition game plan
Since a primary outcome of these drugs is to reduce appetite, it is particularly important to include certain macro and micronutrient-dense food in your diet. Here’s are some of the food and patterns that Emily often suggests to her patients on these GLP1s:
High quality, easy to digest proteins: Cod, squid, eggs, turkey jerky, lean cuts of chicken, pumpkin seeds, whey, egg white or other high-quality protein powders, or essential amino acid blends.
Anti-inflammatory fats: Prioritize omega-3s from salmon, sardines, scallops or chia, flax, and hemp.
Slow burn, fiber-rich carb-dense foods: Leafy green veggies like kale and arugula, root veggies like sweet potatoes, carrots, quinoa, lentils, and legumes are often helpful in maintaining energy levels and for digestive health.
Greens powders + herbal teas: If getting in ample veggies proves particularly challenging, including an organic greens powder can be a good option. Herbal blends with ginger, fennel, or marshmallow root can help support digestion and hydration.
Are there natural alternatives?
Yes — though it’s important to keep expectations realistic. While certain foods and supplements can stimulate the body’s own production of GLP-1 and GIP hormones, these natural chemical signals produce much, much weaker signals than medications and their effects only last a few minutes to hours.
Why the difference? Prescription GLP-1s work by acting as “super sticky” versions of gut hormones and that bind the same receptors that stimulate key pathways — like appetite suppression and blood sugar regulation — but much more powerfully and for longer periods (days or even weeks).
That said, just because natural foods and compounds encourage the shorter and gentler natural hormonal response doesn’t mean they’re not useful, especially when used in combination. Emily recommends integrating the following foods, bioactives, and other “either before starting on a medication and/or when titrating down dosing” to ease transitions and reinforce wellness habits:
High-protein foods and amino acids: These boost satiety and support blood sugar balance.
Insoluble fiber: Found in non-starchy/above ground growing veggies like arugula, kale, broccoli, and cabbage.
Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil: Beneficial for satiety as well as cardiometabolic health in general.
Amarasate: A bitter extract from hops flowers shown to roughly double GLP-1 release and reduce food cravings.
Certain probiotic strains: Research on Akkermansia muciniphila seems particularly promising
Plant-based boosters: Berberine (especially dihydroberberine), turmeric, fenugreek, yerba mate, and allulose.
When you stop: what then?
Research shows many people tend to regain weight after stopping GLP-1s — often due to hunger rebound in combination with lack of a plan to maintain supportive and sustainable habits. Cultivating supportive behaviors and patterns — like resistance training, proper hydration, and smart supplementation — is extremely beneficial before, during, and after treatment to maximize the probability of long-term success.
It is also important to note that for some people being on a long-term maintenance dosage appears to be necessary to retain body fat loss and other health improvements.
Wellness
GLP-1s are making waves for a reason. For many, they’re unlocking new possibilities in how people manage body composition, energy, and many aspects of health. Despite their promise, these medications aren’t for everyone — and that’s okay.
There’s no one-size-fits-all path to mind and body wellness. What matters most is that your choices are informed, intentional, and right for you. While these medications can be life-changing tools to catalyze change on many health fronts, they are not a substitute for other wellness-supportive lifestyle behaviors, such as improving your daily routine with proper hydration, protein intake, movement, and sleep. These factors are also critical to life-long well-being.
Whatever decisions you make on your unique health journey, Grove is here to inspire, empower, and support you with information to help guide your choices.
Emily Grochowski (MSN, RDN, CD (WA), CLT, CFIN) is a Certified Functional & Integrative Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from UW-Madison and Master of Science in Nutrition from Bastyr University. She practices evidence-based, personalized, holistic medical nutrition therapy at the Institute of Complementary Medicine.
This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, website, or in any linked materials are not intended and should not be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Sources
1 Zhang, W., Pan, J., Lu, X., et al. (2024). GLP-1 receptor agonists: More than weight loss? Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-024-01931-z
2 Bays, H. (2015). GLP-1 receptor agonists for glycemic control and weight loss: A review of clinical data. Postgraduate Medicine, 127(1), 40–52. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00325481.2015.1090295
3 Campbell, J.E., et al. (2018). Novel mechanisms of GLP-1 action in the brain: Implications for weight regulation. Cell Metabolism, 27(4), 750–761. https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(18)30179-7
4 Toms, C., et al. (2024). Bitter hops extract (Amarasate) stimulates GLP-1 secretion and reduces energy intake: A randomized controlled trial. PLOS ONE. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0323643
5 Verdich, C., et al. (2006). Protein intake, satiety, and GLP-1 responses in healthy humans. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 83(3), 524–530. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16492694/
