GLP-1 Disruptors

Top factors that reduce GLP-1 levels & disrupt weight loss.

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GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Victoza, and Wegovy have been the latest weight loss trend that many people have been turning to over the last several years.

These medications work by mimicking the action of GLP-1, a hormone that is naturally produced in our bodies.

Here’s how GLP-1 works in the body to reduce appetite and food intake:

• The primary job of GLP-1 is to stimulate insulin production after eating a meal. Once the body notices that glucose has entered the bloodstream from food, it stimulates the release of GLP-1. Next, GLP-1 sends a signal to the pancreas to release insulin. This allows for glucose to move out of the bloodstream and into our cells for energy rather than getting stored as fat (helping with weight loss).

• Another function of GLP-1 is to slow gastric emptying, or the rate at which food moves through the GI tract. GLP-1 acts on receptors in the gut to slow gastric muscle contractions, so food remains in the stomach/gut for a longer period of time. This allows for the body to maximize the amount of nutrients absorbed from food, slows the rise in glucose levels, and helps you feel full longer (leading to lower post-meal glucose levels and reduced appetite).

• GLP-1 communicates with the brain to increase satiety and reduce food consumption. Specifically, GLP-1 binds to receptors on the hypothalamus, the region of the brain responsible for hunger and appetite. When GLP-1 binds to the hypothalamus, it activates neurons that promote feelings of fullness and inhibit feelings of hunger, thus reducing food intake.

While GLP-1 is naturally produced in our bodies, there are certain factors that stimulate the production and release of this important metabolic hormone.

In other words, if we’re not providing the appropriate inputs or signals, then GLP-1 won’t be produced/released, which leads to elevated blood glucose levels, increased levels of hunger, and increased fat storage - a vicious cycle that results in weight gain.

Let’s take a look at the factors that disrupt the production and release of GLP-1.

Factors That Reduce GLP-1 Activity

GLP-1 is intended to work throughout our lifetime, but there are many factors in today’s society that disrupt its functioning. Here are the key points to keep in mind that reduce GLP-1 activity:

1. Processed Foods

According to Dr. Tanseem Bhatia, integrative medicine physician and author of The Hormone Shift, “food quality is number one” when it comes to regulating GLP-1 and our hormones in general. She shares that the changes that have taken place in the food industry and the foods we're eating are directly affecting the body's GLP-1 system. Processed foods are void of the nutrients that stimulate the production and release of GLP-1, while being full of toxins that inhibit its production. In addition, research shows that high amounts of added sugar, which are most commonly found in processed foods, are associated with reduced GLP-1 secretion.

2. Gut Dysbiosis

Research shows that gut dysbiosis, or an imbalance in good gut bacteria, leads to reduced GLP-1 activity. This means that poor gut health contributes to low GLP-1 and increased blood glucose levels, appetite, and weight as a result. Factors that contribute to gut dysbios include toxic load (pesticides), lack of prebiotic fiber, stress, sugar, and processed foods. Refer to this post for tips to improve microbial diversity.

3. Blue Light Exposure

Excess exposure to blue light, particularly during the night when it disrupts the circadian rhythm, negatively impacts GLP-1 production, leading to impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, increased appetite, and weight gain. Research shows that GLP-1 is “highly sensitive to disturbances in circadian rhythms,” and it’s well-known that blue light is a major disruptor of our circadian rhythms. One study observed the effects of blue light exposure on GLP-1 levels and found that GLP-1 was significantly lower after continuous blue light exposure compared to the group exposed to natural light.

4. Stress & Lack of Sleep

Elevated cortisol levels from stress, sleep deprivation, elevated blood sugar levels, alcohol, etc. disrupt hormone balance, including GLP-1. A study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology reported that cortisol reduces GLP-1 production and insulin secretion, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels.

Cortisol has the opposite effect of GLP-1: it acts on receptors in the hypothalamus to increase appetite, increases blood glucose levels by stimulating the liver to release stored glucose, impairs digestion, decreases malatonin, and promotes fat storage, all of which contribute to weight gain.

We evolved getting all the necessary signals that stimulate the production and release of GLP-1, but the quality of our food has changed, blue light has become the norm, and stress has skyrotted, all which impair the body’s ability to receive the signals required to produce GLP-1.

Knowing that these are the major factors that impair GLP-1 activity, you can make changes in your lifestyle to help improve GLP-1 naturally.

Practical Tips To Improve GLP-1 Production

• Limit processed foods, added sugars, and toxins (from food, household products, and the environment) which disrupt hormones and GLP-1.

• Optimize your gut health. Consume sources of probiotics, prebiotic fiber, and antioxidant-rich foods daily.

• Reduce exposure to blue light. Invest in blue light glasses and screen-protectors for your laptop, try to get more exposure to natural light during the day, and use dim lighting in your home in the evening rather than bright florescent lights.

• Manage stress. Schedule activities into your day that help to reduce stress and cortisol levels like going for walks, reading, journaling, spending time with family and friends (and pets!), doing breathwork, meditating..whatever is the most effective for you.

• Prioritize sleep. Sleep deprivation (less than 6 hours of quality sleep each night) increases cortisol levels, hunger, and glucose levels while also reducing GLP-1.

I hope this post gave you some insight on how to naturally boost GLP-1 to support healthy weight and glucose levels by gaining a better understanding of how this hormone works and the factors that inhibit its production.

Next week we’ll be covering specific foods and nutrients that boost GLP-1. Make sure to upgrade to a monthly or annual subscription so you don’t miss out!

See you then!
-xo Kate