GLP-1 glossary
Plain-language definitions of the GLP-1 terms you'll see on your treatment journey — from titration to steady state.
- GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1)
- A hormone the gut releases after eating that stimulates insulin, slows stomach emptying, and reduces appetite. GLP-1 receptor agonist medications mimic this hormone to improve blood sugar and support weight loss. Track any GLP-1 medication.
- Semaglutide
- A GLP-1 receptor agonist sold as Ozempic and Rybelsus (type 2 diabetes) and Wegovy (weight management). It is dosed once weekly by injection (or daily as an oral tablet for Rybelsus). Semaglutide tracker.
- Tirzepatide
- A dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist sold as Mounjaro (type 2 diabetes) and Zepbound (weight management). It is dosed once weekly by injection. Tirzepatide tracker.
- GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide)
- A second gut hormone involved in insulin release and fat metabolism. Tirzepatide acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors, which is why it is called a dual agonist.
- Titration
- A prescribed, product-specific dosage increase. Timing, decision points, and maintenance choices differ by medication, indication, population, response, and tolerability. See a titration schedule.
- Maintenance dose
- A dosage used for ongoing treatment under a product label and prescription. Some products have multiple maintenance choices that differ by indication or population.
- Subcutaneous injection
- An injection into the fatty layer just under the skin (abdomen, thigh, or upper arm) rather than into muscle. GLP-1 injections are subcutaneous. Injection site rotation.
- Injection site rotation
- Following the product instructions to use a different injection site with each dose. Consult the instructions for the exact medication presentation for approved sites and administration details. Rotate sites with a body map.
- Lipohypertrophy
- A thickening of fatty tissue associated with repeated injections at the same site. Ask a clinician about a lump or persistent injection-site change and follow the product's site-rotation instructions. Injection sites guide.
- Half-life
- The time it takes for the amount of medication in your body to fall by half. Semaglutide has a long half-life (about 7 days), which is why it is dosed weekly.
- Steady state
- The point — usually after several weeks of consistent dosing — where the medication level in your body stabilizes between doses. OffGrid Dose's estimated-levels chart helps you visualize when you reach it. Weight-loss timeline.
- Compounded medication
- A version of a drug prepared by a compounding pharmacy rather than the brand manufacturer. Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are not FDA-approved and can vary in concentration — always follow your prescriber's instructions. Compounded semaglutide tracker.
- Off-label use
- Prescribing an approved medication for a condition it is not specifically FDA-approved for — for example, using Ozempic (approved for diabetes) for weight management.
- Bioavailability
- The fraction of a dose that actually reaches your bloodstream. It influences how injected and oral GLP-1 medications are dosed.