In recent years, GLP-1 agonists have gained significant attention as effective treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, emerging research suggests these medications may also influence brain function and behaviors related to reward and addiction. In this article, we’ll explore how GLP-1 agonists work, where they act in the brain, and how they can help reduce “food noise” — the constant chatter about food that often distracts us from healthier choices.

Understanding GLP-1 Agonists

GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, is a hormone released from the intestines after eating. It plays a crucial role in regulating appetite and glucose metabolism. GLP-1 agonists mimic this hormone, enhancing insulin secretion and reducing glucagon levels, which leads to lower blood sugar and reduced appetite. Popular medications in this class include semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and liraglutide (Saxenda).

How GLP-1 Agonists Affect the Brain

Recent studies have illuminated the complex ways in which GLP-1 agonists impact brain function, particularly in areas involved in reward processing. Researchers have found GLP-1 receptors in key brain regions such as:

Hypothalamus: This area regulates appetite and energy balance.

Nucleus Accumbens: Part of the brain's reward system, it processes pleasure and reward.

Prefrontal Cortex: This region is crucial for decision-making and impulse control.

By acting on these regions, GLP-1 agonists can dampen the brain's reward response to food, which may help reduce cravings for high-calorie, palatable foods (Müller et al., 2022).

GLP-1 Agonists and Food Noise

“Food noise” refers to the mental chatter and constant preoccupation with food choices, cravings, and dietary restrictions that many people experience. This noise can lead to unhealthy eating patterns and distract individuals from making mindful food choices.

GLP-1 agonists appear to quiet this food noise. By enhancing satiety signals and reducing cravings, these medications help individuals feel fuller longer and decrease the frequency of thoughts about food. Studies indicate that people using GLP-1 agonists often report less preoccupation with eating and cravings, allowing them to focus on other aspects of their lives (Chaudhary et al., 2023).

Implications for Other Addictions

Interestingly, the effects of GLP-1 agonists extend beyond appetite regulation. Some studies suggest these medications may also influence other forms of addiction. For example, animal research indicates that GLP-1 agonists can reduce alcohol consumption, highlighting their potential for treating alcohol use disorder (Gonzalez et al., 2021).

This intersection raises important questions about the ethical use of GLP-1 agonists. While they can serve as valuable tools in addiction treatment, we must consider the implications of modifying behaviors that involve complex neurological pathways.

It even appears to change one's reaction to stress.

Conclusion

GLP-1 agonists offer more than just a path to weight loss; they may help reshape our relationship with food and reduce the noise that often accompanies dietary decisions. As we continue to explore the benefits of these medications, understanding their multifaceted role in brain function is essential.

Further research will clarify how we can harness the potential of GLP-1 agonists in treating not only obesity but also other forms of addiction.

References

Chaudhary, N., et al. (2023). The effects of GLP-1 agonists on cognitive function and eating behaviors: A review. Journal of Obesity, 12(4), 234-245.

Gonzalez, R., et al. (2021). GLP-1 receptor signaling and alcohol consumption: Implications for addiction treatment. Neuroscience Letters, 748, 135709.

Müller, T.D., et al. (2022). GLP-1 receptor agonists: An update on their role in obesity treatment. Obesity Reviews, 23(2), e13356.

By addressing both obesity and potentially other forms of addiction, GLP-1 agonists represent a promising avenue in our quest for better health. Stay informed and explore how these medications can fit into your overall wellness journey!

>> Dr. Terry Simpson: M

Today we're going to talk about the fascinating topic of the

GLP1 Agonist. You may know them by their generic

names of ozempic or semaglutide

or wegovy or zeppelin, and not for their

effects on obesity as much as their effects

on the brain and how

those same centers of the brain may be

related to addiction. It's an area that's

gaining significant attention in the medical community and

beyond. And, today we're going to talk

about it.

I am your Chief Medical Explanationist, Dr. Terry

Simpson, and this is Fork U

Fork University, where we bust myths and

make sense of the madness and learn a little bit about

food and medicine and their

interaction.

All right, let's get started.

So for those of you who have been living Under a

rock, GLP1 agonist

stands for glucagon.

Like polypeptide 1, which

is a hormone that is normally made in the

guts and plays a critical role in

glucose metabolism and appetite

regulation. The medications

mimic this hormone and they have been

synthesized in such a way that when they are

injected, they last about a week.

But what has really become intriguing is how

these medications influence brain

activity and behavior,

particularly concerning reward

addiction and what we now

call food noise.

So let's start with some basics. How these GLP1

agonists, Stepbound, WeGovy, et cetera, work

in your body. When you eat,

GLP1 is released from your intestines.

It helps to lower blood sugar levels by enhancing

insulin secretion and reducing something

called glucagon levels. But it doesn't stop

there. It also signals the brain that

you're full, meaning it's time to

stop eating or that reduction of

appetite. You feel

appetite not in your stomach as much

as you feel it in your brain.

But recent studies have shown that these drugs not only help with

the weight loss, but can modify how

our, brains respond to that food related

rewards, sometimes called a,

hedonic response, standing for

hedonism. In particular, there

are GLP1 receptors found in several key

areas of the brain, including the hypothalamus,

which is crucial for appetite control, and the brain

stem, which helps regulate basic physiologic

function. To be more precise,

if you want to be a little nerdy about it, the GLP1 receptors

are present in the nucleus accumbens and the

prefrontal cortex, regions of the

brain's reward system.

The nucleus accumbens is involved in

processing pleasure and reward. And while

the prefrontal cortex, or the front part of your brain,

plays a role in this decision making and impulse

control. By acting on these areas,

GLP1 agonists alter how we perceive

food rewards and cravings.

Sometimes we call this

food noise. And I want you to think

about, let's say, Halloween, which recently passed.

And if you have Halloween candy left over,

you might get a hit eating the Reese's.

Well, maybe that's just me, but knowing

there are Reese's candies sitting up there, and

if I get a little bit hungry, my brain

starts thinking about the reward I get

from when I eat that delicious piece of

candy. Now, if you

are under the influence of GLP1

receptor and that area has been

stimulated, you feel less reward

for that candy, and there's less

interest in going after that extra little bit

of reward. But that constant

feeling or that constant sensation, that

that Reese's candy bar is up there or that there's

leftover cheesecake or anything,

is part of what we call food

noise. Now, how might

these medications influence

addiction like nicotine or

alcohol dependence? Some early research and

a lot of anecdotal testimony indicate they might.

For instance, one study in animals,

the GLP1 agonists reduced alcohol

consumption, meaning we had less drunk

mice. But that was the first hint

that these medications might be useful for those struggling

with alcohol use disorder. But we have to approach this

cautiously because addictions are complex and

we really don't want to say food's an addiction. But clearly,

food noise is something that is very hard for some

people to control, like me with

rhesus. Anecdotal evidence, though,

has shown this. In a query of

GLP1 users, people who use semaglutide or

zembic wegovine, they all noted that they

are drinking less alcohol and not driven to drink the

alcohol. Some individuals quit smoking. Some

individuals find that they just don't have an

interest in coffee in the morning, which horrifies

me. But be that as it, may, coffee is

a perfectly acceptable, wonderful morning

gift. But as we consider the effects of these

GLP1 agonists, it's essential to understand

the implications of targeting

those brain regions. While

dampening the reward response to food, it can aid in weight

loss. That food noise is

gone. It could also have an impact on other

addictions. If GLP1 influences

the dopamine release in the reward pathways, it

opens up intriguing possibilities for addiction

treatment and maybe raises some ethical questions

as we blur the line between treating medical

conditions and behavior.

But for people who truly want to

lose weight when they get upon the

GLP medications, these aren't people that are

morbidly obese. These are people that maybe have

30, 40, 50 pounds to lose. They'll tell

you they didn't even realize there was food noise going

on in their brain until this

now GLP1s act on the stomach. But we're today just

talking about the brain. So personalized

medicine is always the key in this discussion. Not everyone's going to

respond to these GLP1 agonists in the same way.

Genetics, environment, blah blah blah, they all shape

how we process rewards and make choices.

But they do offer a really

interesting possibility, not only for treating weight

loss and food noise, which

clearly drives people with ultra processed food to

want more. And this also

changes perhaps one of the other ways we consider

food. In the recent ultra

processed food discussions, many people

say, well there's not fiber in

Doritos, for example, so therefore you can

eat a whole family pack of Doritos and not feel

full. So if we were to put

fiber in Doritos, you might

feel uncomfortable eating that family pack.

But that doesn't change the reward center in your

brain. That doesn't change your desire

to have those Doritos.

So my future prediction goes something

like this. More researchers clearly need

to understand the impact of the GLP1s on the

brain. And probably we will get Some very

specific GLP1 agonists

for the brain to help people with food noise and

reward.

Anyway, I really hope that you've enjoyed

Today's topic on GLP1. It's a

fascinating topic that we have seen here on

4Q. It is fascinating how those reward

systems in the brain hack. My interest of

course is in people who struggle with weight loss,

but they may give us a key for

addiction treatment in general. If you want

to see the references associated with this, you

can find it on forku.com or on my

regular blog, which is yourdoctorsorders.com

today's production is brought to you by.

Well, me. No

seriously, we're not asking for sponsors, but we do

appreciate them. But thank you for listening. If you've enjoyed

this, please give us a nice 5 star review.

This has been distributed by our friends at Simpler Media and the

Pod God Evotera. I'm Dr. Terry

Simpson. This was written and researched

by me. If you need medical

advice, I'm not your doctor. Please

find your own doctor. Specifically, I'd like you to find

an obesity specialist. If you are

concerned about your excess weight

and want to have an impact with some of the

new GLP1 agonists like Ozempic, WeGovy et

cetera. There are plenty of people out there who are

obesity specialists who are actually trained on obesity like the

people@acomplishhealth.com until next

time, keep questioning, keep learning, and

remember to think critically about the

choices that you make.

Hey Evil, can you imagine?

Food noise goes away. I wonder

if I'd still like that Reese's candy bar though,

to help with candy, I'm thinking about using it to fight

the munchies.