The Pill that May Soon Change the Treatment for Diabetes
First, what is GLP-1?
It is an abbreviation for Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), that is a naturally occurring incretin hormone in our body. Incretin effect is responsible for the 50-70% of insulin secretion in the body, in response to glucose administration or food intake.The best thing about this hormone is that it only works when the level of blood glucose is elevated, which means that any drug mimicking it would not lower the glucose level below normal.
GLP-1 or incretins have other functions too. They are known to suppress the production of glucose by the liver by suppressing the glucagon. Incretins slow down the gastric emptying and are responsible for the feeling of satiety, resulting in decreased appetite and loss of body weight. Incretins have positive effects on the lipid profile, and they reduce the bad cholesterol in the blood. Incretins are also known to decrease the blood pressure, having a positive impact on cardiac health.
