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GLP-1 is transforming the
weight management market

From short-term weight loss to a long-term health strategy

The field of ‘weight management’ is currently evolving rapidly. For a long time, the focus was purely on weight loss, but consumers are now also making preventative adjustments to their dietary and health routines. Alongside the desire to lose weight, aspects such as metabolic health, muscle maintenance, blood sugar balance and long-term healthy eating habits are increasingly coming to the fore.

At the same time, the variety of product concepts on the market is growing. Consumers today are specifically seeking solutions for appetite management, prolonged satiety, fibre intake, metabolic support or muscle maintenance. This also increases the demands on brands to develop innovative and scientifically sound products.

A key driver of this development is the growing interest in GLP-1.

GLP-1 influences consumer behaviour

Smaller portions and a targeted intake of nutrients are required

Studies show that feelings of hunger are significantly reduced during treatment with GLP-1: food intake is often reduced, as hunger and reward signals in the brain are influenced and satiety signals are amplified.¹

Another effect of GLP-1 is that the stomach empties more slowly – food remains in the stomach for longer, meaning that the feeling of fullness sets in earlier and lasts longer. As a result, users often feel full after even small meals and significantly reduce their portion sizes.²

As GLP-1 users eat less and consume smaller meals, the importance of a targeted nutrient intake increases. Dietary fibre, micronutrients and gut health strategies are coming more into focus. The same applies to smaller portion sizes that provide a high intake of key nutrients. This therefore creates an exciting market environment for you and your brand.

Let’s discuss the development

New requirements for product concepts
in ‘weight management’

An opportunity for you and your brand

As consumer needs evolve, so too do the requirements for product concepts. There is a demand for solutions that sensibly complement a balanced diet and are tailored to changing eating habits. The following product categories are coming to the fore in particular:

  • High-protein products to maintain muscle mass
  • High-fibre concepts for a diet tailored to individual needs
  • Micronutrient solutions with high nutrient density
  • Functional shots and drinkable solutions
  • Innovative capsule and powder concepts
  • Convenience products for smaller meals

Maintaining muscle mass, in particular, is becoming increasingly important. This is because during significant weight loss, lean body mass can be lost alongside fat mass. High-quality protein sources and essential amino acids (EAAs) are therefore often in demand.

Fibre, as well as selected vitamins and minerals, are also coming more into focus, as they can usefully complement a balanced diet.

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Our current product concepts

Product ideas in the ‘Weight Management’ category

As a contract manufacturer of dietary supplements, we support you and your brand in turning the latest trends into successful product concepts. Possible formulations range from high-protein products and fibre-rich solutions to functional formulations containing selected plant extracts, vitamins and minerals.

What matters is not just the choice of ingredients, but an overall concept that takes equal account of the target audience, positioning and regulatory requirements. Get in touch with us – together we’ll develop the perfect product concept for your range!

Weight Loss Shot als White-Label-Produkt

Weight Loss Shot

The formula of our vegan shot, specially designed for weight management, combines the fat-metabolism-supporting effects of L-carnitine and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) with antioxidant-rich extracts from green coffee beans and blood orange, as well as a full daily dose of chromium, which helps maintain normal blood sugar levels and supports the normal metabolism of macronutrients.

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Pflanzliche Stoffwechselkapseln auf und neben einem dunklen Schälchen

Herbal metabolism capsules

This capsule product combines plant-based ingredients such as apple cider vinegar extract, green tea extract and bitter orange fruit extract with choline, zinc and chromium. Whilst choline contributes to normal fat metabolism, zinc supports normal carbohydrate, fatty acid and macronutrient metabolism. Chromium helps maintain normal blood sugar levels.

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GLP-1 in advertising

Where the regulatory boundaries lie

As interest in GLP-1 grows, so too does the uncertainty surrounding the marketing of related product concepts. For example, the Dutch authorities recently issued a statement in which they classified any communication regarding GLP-1 in relation to food supplements as inadmissible, as any reference to GLP-1 could be interpreted as a medical context and thus as disease-related advertising.

Disease-related advertising is generally not permitted for food supplements in the EU. According to the authorities, examples of impermissible claims include ‘supports GLP-1’ or ‘stimulates GLP-1 production’. Furthermore, the Dutch authorities clarified that dietary supplements must not be advertised specifically in relation to patients taking weight-loss medication. It is to be expected that the authorities in other EU countries will follow the assessments set out in the Dutch authorities’ statement in their own evaluations of the matter.

For brands, this means that communications should consistently be based on authorised health claims and that regulatory developments should be monitored continuously. We’re here to support you with our full-service approach!

Health claims relating to weight management

Legal certainty remains crucial

However great the market potential may be, there are clear regulatory requirements governing the marketing of food supplements. The number of authorised health claims in the area of weight management is very limited in the EU (including Germany). Anything that sounds like ‘weight loss’, ‘fat burning’ or ‘weight maintenance’ is usually not permitted, unless there is an explicitly authorised claim under EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. The use of certain vitamin and mineral compounds with appropriate health claims can therefore be helpful when marketing food supplements relating to metabolism, blood sugar levels and weight loss.

It is therefore crucial to take regulatory requirements into account at an early stage, right from the product development phase. Our Regulatory Affairs department supports you throughout this process, from the selection of raw materials and the preparation of product-related documentation right through to the review of the final label.

More about regulatory affairs at Biohealth

Frequently asked questions at a glance

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a hormone produced naturally by the body that plays an important role in regulating blood sugar levels and the feeling of fullness. It is released in the gut after a meal, stimulates the release of insulin and helps to slow down the emptying of the stomach. As a result, the feeling of fullness sets in sooner and lasts longer.

GLP-1 has attracted a great deal of attention due to certain GLP-1 medicines, which were originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes and are now also used to treat obesity. These medicines influence hunger and reward signals in the brain, causing many users to feel significantly less hungry and to reduce their food intake.

Selected GLP-1 medicines for specific indications are also authorised in Germany, yes. Nevertheless, sustainable weight loss can only be achieved in the long term if treatment is combined with a permanent change in dietary and lifestyle habits. Otherwise, as with many other weight-loss methods, a yo-yo effect may occur once the medicines are stopped.

1Aldawsari, M. et al. (2022). The Efficacy of GLP-1 Analogues on Appetite Parameters, Gastric Emptying, Food Preference and Taste Among Adults with Obesity: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Available at: https://www.dovepress.com/the-efficacy-of-glp-1-analogues-on-appetite-parameters-gastric-emptyin-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-DMSO (08.07.26).

2Bellavance, D., Chua, S. & Mashimo, H. (2025). Gastrointestinal Motility Effects of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11894-025-00995-3 (08.07.26).

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