Which best describes how semaglutide works?

• A. Inhibits insulin release
• B. Speeds gastric emptying and increases appetite
• C. Directly destroys adipose tissue
• D. Slows gastric emptying, decreases appetite and food cravings, suppresses glucagon

Answer: (D)

Semaglutide acts as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, mimicking incretin effects that occur after meals. This leads to several coordinated actions: it slows gastric emptying, which blunts the rise in blood glucose after eating and contributes to a feeling of fullness; it reduces appetite and food cravings, helping lower overall intake; and it suppresses glucagon release when glucose is high, helping to prevent excessive hepatic glucose production. Together, these effects produce weight loss and improved glucose control.

That combination—slower gastric emptying, reduced appetite/food cravings, and suppressed glucagon—best captures how semaglutide works.

The other statements don’t fit: it does not inhibit insulin release (it enhances insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent way); it does not speed gastric emptying (it slows it); and it does not directly destroy adipose tissue (fat loss results from decreased intake and metabolic effects, not fat destruction).