Short answer: GLP-1 drugs lower appetite. The Wegovy and Zepbound labels say the drugs decrease calorie intake, likely by acting on appetite. In small trials, semaglutide cut the amount eaten at a free buffet by 24% to 35%, and tirzepatide cut a test lunch by about 525 calories. Amylin drugs also act on fullness. No drug is approved for appetite on its own.
| Compound | Best evidence | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide (Wegovy) | Approved for a different use | Approved for weight management. In a 72-person, 20-week trial, people ate 35% less at a test lunch than on placebo and reported less hunger and fewer cravings. |
| Tirzepatide (Zepbound) | Approved for a different use | Approved for weight management. In a 114-person phase 1 trial, people ate about 525 fewer calories at a test lunch at week 3 than on placebo. |
| Liraglutide (Saxenda) | Approved for a different use | Approved for weight management. Its label says GLP-1 regulates appetite and calorie intake, and that liraglutide reached appetite areas of the brain in animals. |
| Pramlintide (Symlin) | Approved for a different use | An amylin analog approved only for type 1 or type 2 diabetes in people using mealtime insulin. The label says it slows stomach emptying and affects fullness, lowering calorie intake. |
| Cagrilintide with semaglutide (CagriSema) | Human trials | Pairs a long-acting amylin analog with semaglutide. In REDEFINE 1, weight fell 20.4% versus 3.0% on placebo at 68 weeks. Not FDA approved as of October 2026. |
"Animal or lab studies only" means no published human trial for this goal that we could find. Results in rats or cells often do not carry over to people. Compounds that are not FDA-approved have no tested label for dose, purity or safety.
GLP-1 is a gut hormone released after eating. The Wegovy label calls it a physiological regulator of appetite and caloric intake and notes that its receptor sits in brain areas that control appetite. The label also says semaglutide slows stomach emptying.
GIP is a second gut hormone. Tirzepatide acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. The Zepbound label says animal and lab studies suggest GIP may add to the effect on food intake. That part is not proven in people.
Amylin is released by the pancreas with insulin. The Symlin label says amylin regulates food intake through the brain, and that pramlintide slowed stomach emptying and changed fullness in human studies. Cagrilintide is a newer, longer-lasting amylin analog.
Weight-loss trials record weight, not hunger. A few smaller trials measured eating directly, usually with an ad libitum meal, meaning a test meal where people eat as much as they want.
| Trial | People, length | What changed versus placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide 1.0 mg, Blundell 2017 | 30 adults, 12-week crossover | 24% less eaten across the day; less hunger and fewer cravings; less preference for high-fat foods |
| Semaglutide 2.4 mg, Friedrichsen 2021 | 72 adults, 20 weeks | 35% less eaten at a test lunch; less hunger, more fullness, fewer cravings |
| Tirzepatide, Martin 2025 | 114 adults, 6 weeks | About 525 fewer calories at a test lunch at week 3; less hunger and cravings |
These trials were small and funded by the makers. In the Blundell trial, nausea ratings were similar on drug and placebo, which suggests less eating was not only from feeling sick. In Friedrichsen, the 20-week stomach-emptying test showed no clear delay, even though the label says semaglutide delays it.
For amylin, we found no published appetite-measurement trial of cagrilintide that we could open. The combined CagriSema trial measured weight, not hunger.
Terms on this page: GLP-1 receptor agonist · GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) · Amylin analog · Titration (dose escalation)