Originally, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) was meant for people dealing with type 2 diabetes. However, it has since expanded and has become a potential alternative for people dealing with obesity.
For those who may not be aware, GLP-1 is a natural hormone produced in the gut that regulates blood sugar and appetite. There is no question that these are key factors when it comes to weight-loss initiatives. However, there are still critical clinical and research gaps in structured nutritional guidance for its use, per Nature.com.
For years, supplements, programmes and lifestyle products were seen as alternatives to pharmaceutical intervention.
With millions of consumers now embracing drugs that demonstrably work, it begs the question: where does wellness fit when appetite, weight and blood sugar are medically managed?
GLP-1 Consumers Shift Spending Toward Practical Nutrition Support
To better understand this shift, Susanne Mitschke, a Harvard-trained public health scientist and CEO of Citruslabs, conducted a survey of more than 800 US adults spanning the entire GLP-1 spectrum. This included current users, former users, those considering treatment and those who have opted out.
The findings were published in May 2026 in a proprietary industry report. It examined long-held assumptions about how GLP-1 users behave and whether their supplement-buying habits have been affected.
In her words, Mitschke explained that consumer spending on supplements has not collapsed but shifted.
'The data is clear on this. The wallet has not shrunk. It has been reallocated. Protein, fibre, electrolytes are all up significantly. What is down is snacks, restaurants, and legacy weight loss supplements. That last one is the category that should be paying the closest attention,' Mitschke explained.
'A consumer who found something that actually works has no reason to keep spending on a product that was not delivering. They did not leave the market. They upgraded out of it,' she added.
Mitschke also addressed claims that some people have stopped using GLP-1 because of its side effects. While she acknowledged that some users have discontinued treatment, she pointed out that affordability—not effectiveness—is the primary reason.
'It is not even close. Among past users who stopped, 43% did so because of cost or loss of insurance. Only 13% stopped because the medication was not working. The drug works. The system around it does not,' she pointed out.
'People are not leaving because GLP-1s failed them. They are leaving because they could not afford to stay. That reframe matters a lot for how you think about this consumer and what they actually need,' she added.
GLP-1's Role Forecasted To Evolve
Looking ahead, Mitschke believes the industry will gradually split into two distinct groups. One will consist of brands backed by clinical evidence and clearly defined, science-led products. The other will be made up of more generic wellness offerings that have yet to evolve.
For the Citruslabs CEO, GLP-1 consumers are unlikely to gravitate towards the latter.
'On one side you will have brands with clinical evidence behind specific, positioned products built for specific consumer moments. On the other side you will have generic wellness products that have not evolved. The GLP-1 consumer is not going to buy the latter. They are too informed,' she stated.
For Mitschke, the message is clear: the GLP-1 wave is not something to wait out. It is a signal that wellness consumers are becoming more informed, more demanding and less tolerant of vague promises.
Brands that recognise that shift early may find that GLP-1s are not a threat to wellness at all—but the force that finally compels it to grow up.
