FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – They go by names like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. GLP-1 medications have become some of the most talked-about drugs in the country, and the numbers prove it.<\/p>\n
According to Epic Research\u2019s GLP-1 Data Tracker<\/a>, more than 25,000 out of every 100,000 patients with type 2 diabetes are now being prescribed a GLP-1 medication every quarter. For overweight or obese patients, that number tops 12,800 per 100,000, and among the broader adult population, more than 5,500 per 100,000 adults are receiving a GLP-1 each quarter as of Q1 2026.<\/p>\n The demand is being felt right here in the Red River Valley. Vanessa Coulter, APRN, CNP, a nurse practitioner at Essentia Health<\/a> in Fargo, says her office fields multiple inquiries about GLP-1s every day, from patients as young as 12.<\/p>\n \u201cDaily, we get inquiries or expressed interest, and people want to know more, which I think is good,\u201d Coulter said.<\/p>\n But as prescriptions climb, so do questions about safety, long-term use, and the risks of cheaper, unregulated alternatives.<\/p>\n How do GLP-1s work?<\/p>\n GLP-1 receptor agonists were originally developed in the early 2000s to treat type 2 diabetes. Over time, researchers discovered the drugs also produced significant weight loss, and the list of approved uses has grown steadily since.<\/p>\n Coulter says the medications work through two key mechanisms.<\/p>\n \u201cThey work in the brain, and they regulate hormones, hunger signals. Not only do we not think about food, but when we eat, we feel full really fast,\u201d she said. \u201cThey also work down in our gut, and they delay gastric emptying, so the food that you eat sits in your stomach for a really long time, keeping you full.\u201d<\/p>\n Today, GLP-1s are FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease, and severe obstructive sleep apnea. Coulter says newer formulations, including drugs that combine GLP-1 with another peptide called GIP, are expanding the possibilities even further, with a triple-action medication currently in phase 3 trials.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re not just meant for diabetes. That is the first indication, but actually, as we keep utilizing them, they get expanded indications,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n For reference, Wegovy and Zepbound are currently FDA-approved for obesity, while Ozempic and Mounjaro are approved for type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n Prescriptions are skyrocketing: here\u2019s why<\/p>\n The surge in GLP-1 prescriptions reflects both expanding FDA approvals and growing public awareness. Coulter says the trend is multi-factorial.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the expanding indications, the fact that we\u2019re not just using these for diabetes, they\u2019re for weight, they\u2019re for the liver, they\u2019re for sleep apnea. So these growing indications mean they\u2019re of more interest to people who maybe have those conditions,\u201d she said. \u201cAnecdotally, I think both myself and my colleagues in primary care are going to say we\u2019ve seen drastic increases in people inquiring about these medicines.\u201d<\/p>\n Epic Research<\/a> also found that among patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), those treated with a GLP-1 saw a median one-year weight loss of 11.5%. Additionally, GLP-1 medications have been associated with a 23-44% reduced likelihood of dementia compared to other diabetes management medications.<\/p>\n Are they safe?<\/p>\n For the right candidate, Coulter says the answer is largely yes.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re very safe medications and have little to no risks for the appropriate candidate,\u201d she said. \u201cLargely, the side effects are pretty minimal, usually what most people see out of the gate is gastrointestinal, so some nausea, maybe some vomiting, changes in bowel habits, whether it\u2019s constipation or diarrhea.\u201d<\/p>\n She says those side effects are most common when starting the medication or adjusting the dose, and typically improve over time.<\/p>\n However, GLP-1s are not recommended for everyone. Coulter says people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 should not take them. They are also not used in people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and caution is taken with patients who have a history of pancreatitis.<\/p>\n The muscle loss risk and the \u2018quick fix\u2019 myth<\/p>\n One of the biggest misconceptions Coulter hears is that GLP-1s are a quick fix that requires no lifestyle changes. She says that thinking can lead to real health consequences, including muscle mass loss.<\/p>\n \u201cIn reality, there\u2019s no magic fix for any chronic medical conditions, especially weight; it has to be multifactorial,\u201d Coulter said. \u201cYou have to make lifestyle changes, your diet, your exercise, and what you\u2019re eating. So the risks are if you\u2019re not dieting or eating appropriately, or exercising enough, you could lose some muscle mass.\u201d<\/p>\n She says that risk can be significantly reduced through resistance and strength training, adequate protein intake, and proper nutrition.<\/p>\n Coulter also cautions patients against stopping the medication abruptly. She compares GLP-1s to blood pressure medication, a long-term treatment for a chronic condition, not a short-term solution.<\/p>\n \u201cThese medications are meant for long-term use, so that really means lifelong,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you came to me and had high blood pressure and I put you on a medicine, once your blood pressure got normal, would you stop taking it? The answer is usually no.\u201d<\/p>\n