A Korean research team reported an analysis finding that long-term use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) class drugs, widely used as treatments for diabetes and obesity, may disrupt the body's metabolic balance and cause side effects.
According to healthcare data and algorithm startup Logsync on the 7th, a study jointly conducted by the research team of Baek Sun-ha at Seoul National University Hospital and the research team of Noh Jong-ryeol at Bundang Cha Hospital was recently published in the international obesity journal Current Obesity Reports.
In the paper, the researchers offered a new perspective that the very mechanism by which GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA; Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist) reduce weight could, in the long term, lead to an imbalance in the body's metabolic system.
GLP-1 receptor agonists are therapies that mimic the action of a hormone called GLP-1, which is naturally secreted by the gut when food is eaten. This hormone sends a "full" signal to the brain to reduce appetite and slows the rate at which food leaves the stomach. It also increases insulin secretion to help stabilize blood sugar.
GLP-1 class drugs aid weight loss by suppressing appetite and slowing gastric emptying to reduce food intake. Obesity treatments Wegovy and Mounjaro (zepbound) are representative examples.
The researchers redefined the GLP-1 treatment environment not as the conventional concept of "weight loss," but as an "energy flow restriction state" in which the nutrients and energy entering the body are continuously reduced.
They noted that if such an environment continues over a long period, it could lead to various side effects, including muscle loss, nutritional imbalance, fatigue, and gastrointestinal disorders.
The paper in particular identified as key factors determining long-term metabolic stability: ▲ protein and amino acid supply needed for muscle maintenance and antioxidant functions ▲ micronutrients that maintain enzyme activity and mitochondrial function ▲ absorption of fats and fat-soluble nutrients through the bile acid pathway ▲ the NAD⁺-based oxidative metabolism system involved in cellular energy metabolism.
Baek Sun-ha, a professor at Seoul National University Hospital, said, "For long-term success in obesity treatment, it is important to manage not just simple weight loss but the patient's physiological functions and metabolic balance."
Lee Jae-wang, a researcher at Logsync, said, "During GLP-1 obesity treatment, continuous monitoring of changes in muscle mass and micronutrient status is needed, along with customized precision nutrition management to enhance the body's resilience."
Leveraging the publication of this paper, Logsync plans to launch a cohort (longitudinal) study in the second half of this year on actual patients. The company said it aims to secure clinical evidence for precision nutrition management needed when taking GLP-1 class drugs and push for commercialization of related aftercare services.
According to the company, it is currently building about 65,000 research literature databases analyzing interactions between drug ingredients and nutrients, and based on this, it plans to target the precision nutrition aftercare market that manages patients' nutritional status after prescriptions.
References
Current Obesity Reports (2026), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-026-00709-4