Glossary
GIP
Also called Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, Gastric inhibitory polypeptide, GIP agonist
A gut hormone that, like GLP-1, increases insulin release after meals. Tirzepatide acts on both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors.
In more detail
GIP is released from the upper small intestine in response to food. Its role in weight is still debated, but pairing it with GLP-1 in one molecule produced larger weight loss than GLP-1 alone in trials, which is how tirzepatide earned the label "dual agonist".
Retatrutide goes one step further and hits GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon receptors.
Why it matters
When people compare tirzepatide with semaglutide, the GIP action is the main pharmacological difference.
Related terms
- GLP-1A gut hormone that boosts insulin after meals, slows stomach emptying and reduces appetite. GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide copy and extend its effect.
- Glucagon receptorThe receptor for glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar and increases energy use. Retatrutide adds glucagon receptor activity to GIP and GLP-1.
Peptides where this comes up
Sources
Each source is labeled by where the information comes from. How we label sources
- Reference workGastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP)(opens in a new tab)
Wikipedia · checked
- Clinical studyJastreboff AM et al. 2022, Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity, N Engl J Med(opens in a new tab)
PubMed · checked
Updated