Discover How GIP Boosts Weight Loss With GLP-1
Health ConditionsObesity

What You Need to Know About GIP and Weight Loss

What You Need to Know About GIP and Weight Loss
Adobe Stock
By
Published on October 6, 2025
by

If you live with obesity or type 2 diabetes, your doctor may have talked to you about GIP/GLP-1 agonist medications, such as tirzepatide (Mounjaro or Zepbound), which may help you lose weight. And while you may have heard of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) medications (such as Ozempic), you may be wondering what GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, aka gastric inhibitory peptide) is and why it’s used in combination with GLP-1s.

GIP is a hormone that helps manage blood sugar and regulate energy. GIP belongs to a family of hormones known as incretins, which are released by the digestive system whenever you eat or drink and affect appetite and hunger.

Here’s how GIP works in the body and can help you lose weight.

How Does GIP Work in the Body?

GIP’s main job is to signal the pancreas to release insulin, a hormone that helps your body use glucose (sugar) from food as energy.

GIP also communicates with the brain about fullness by binding to receptors that control hunger and satiety. Additionally, GIP is involved in lipid metabolism — how your body breaks down, stores, and uses lipids (fats) for energy — says Rekha Kumar, MD, a board-certified endocrinologist and obesity medicine expert at Weill Cornell Medical College/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.

How Dual GIP/GLP-1 Medications Can Help You Lose Weight

Interestingly, GIP alone doesn’t suppress appetite or promote weight loss, says Dr. Kumar.

But when paired with GLP-1 — as in a dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist medication — GIP gives GLP-1 an extra boost and helps you feel fuller, improving blood sugar control and metabolism. Together, they can lead to greater weight loss for some.

Researchers believe that most of the appetite suppression and weight loss come from GLP-1, but GIP enhances or “supercharges” these effects. “Think of it like a battery and a flashlight,” says Kumar. “The battery (GIP) doesn’t light the path by itself, but when paired with the flashlight (GLP-1), it creates a powerful effect.”

Medications that mimic both GLP-1 and GIP have been shown to result in greater weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, and stronger metabolic benefits than targeting either hormone alone.

For example, clinical trial participants taking the dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist tirzepatide lost about 21 percent of their body weight over 72 weeks, compared with 15 percent for those taking the GLP-1 agonist semaglutide.

And while most approved medications focus on GLP-1 alone or a combination of GLP-1 and GIP, researchers are exploring other combinations, including triple agonists that target GLP-1, GIP, and the hormone glucagon, as well as other experimental formulations.

Are Dual GIP/GLP-1 Agonists a Cure for Obesity?

Experts caution that no medication is a magic bullet for obesity. “I think the biggest limitation we will see from these medicines is that no matter how good they are for a person for a period of time, the body will try to resist and fight back,” says Kumar. Simply put, the body works hard to prevent weight loss to ensure survival.

That’s why physicians recommend using these medicines along with lifestyle changes, such as eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. Managing sleep and stress are also important when it comes to long-term weight loss.

The bottom line: Taking a holistic approach to losing weight — and keeping it off — is the best way to achieve long-term results and lasting positive benefits to your health.

The Takeaway

  • GIP is a naturally occurring hormone that regulates blood sugar and metabolism, but targeting it alone does not promote weight loss.
  • Dual GIP/GLP-1 agonists amplify weight loss by working together to drive appetite suppression and improve insulin sensitivity.
  • Research into multi-hormone therapies is ongoing, offering promising new options for improving obesity and metabolic health.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Holst JJ. The Incretin System in Healthy Humans: The Role of GIP and GLP-1. Metabolism — Clinical and Experimental. July 2019.
  2. Insulin. Cleveland Clinic. January 17, 2024.
  3. Aronne LJ et al. Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine. July 3, 2025.
  4. Set Point Theory May Explain Why You’re Not Losing Weight. Cleveland Clinic. January 4, 2023.
Additional Sources
  • Samms RJ et al. How May GIP Enhance the Therapeutic Efficacy of GLP-1? Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism. June 2020.
  • Zaffina I et al. Effect of Dual Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Peptide/Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist on Weight Loss in Subjects With Obesity. Frontiers in Endocrinology. February 21, 2023.
  • Patel J et al. Physiology, Gastric Inhibitory Peptide. StatPearls. September 15, 2025.
Meet Our Experts
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network
Sean-Hashmi-bio

Sean Hashmi, MD

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor, Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Sean Hashmi, MD, is an experienced nephrologist and obesity medicine specialist based in Southern California. As the regional director for clinical nutrition and weight management ...

See full bio

Susan Jara

Author

Susan Jara is a health communications strategist and writer with more than 15 years of experience transforming complex medical information into clear, accurate, and engaging conten...

See full bio
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network