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Beyond Glycemic Control: GLP-1RA-Based Therapies and Emerging Targets Beyond the Metabolic Axis
Wojciech Matuszewski1, Katarzyna Wołos-Kłosowicz1, Paulina Włodarczyk2
1Clinic of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|April 14, 2026
Summary
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) offer benefits beyond diabetes management, showing promise for conditions like obesity, liver disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. Further research is needed to explore their full therapeutic potential across multiple medical fields.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Endocrinology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Modern diabetes therapy prioritizes comprehensive risk reduction beyond glycemic control.
- Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are a key therapeutic class addressing metabolic, cardiovascular, and renal aspects of diabetes.
- Emerging evidence highlights potential pleiotropic effects of GLP-1 RAs beyond their established roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the expanding therapeutic applications of GLP-1 RAs.
- To explore the pleiotropic effects of GLP-1 RAs across various physiological systems and diseases.
- To assess the current evidence for GLP-1 RAs in non-diabetic conditions.
Main Methods:
- A narrative literature review was conducted.
- Searches were performed on PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases.
- Publications from 2014-2026, with a focus on 2020-2026, were screened for keywords related to GLP-1 RAs and their effects.
Main Results:
- GLP-1 RAs demonstrate beneficial effects in substance use disorders, mental health, neurodegenerative diseases, and obesity-related complications.
- Significant reductions in hepatic steatosis and decreased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma are associated with GLP-1 RA use.
- Positive effects were observed in genitourinary disorders, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, prostate cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), libido, and fertility.
Conclusions:
- GLP-1 RAs possess versatile therapeutic potential extending beyond antihyperglycemic effects.
- Their clinical relevance is expanding across multiple medical disciplines.
- Further large-scale clinical trials are necessary to fully elucidate the therapeutic scope of GLP-1 RAs.
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