Human body making its own Ozempic? Scientists find ‘surprising cells’ in the pancreas

In today’s world, Ozempic and ultra-processed foods (UPF) go almost hand in hand. On one hand, thanks to excessive consumption of UPF and sedentary lifestyle, obesity has surpassed undernourishment among the world's young population for the first time.

On the other hand, more and more people are turning to Ozempic to cut down on those extra pounds.Ozempic, the ‘magic pill’, is an injectable prescription medication used to manage type 2 diabetes and reduce cardiovascular risk in adults with the condition. It works by regulating insulin and suppressing appetite, and is often used as a weight-loss drug – although it is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight loss.

Thanks to its active ingredient, semaglutide, which is found in the weight-loss drug Wegovy, Ozempic has been popularized as one of the most sought-after weight-loss medications.

However, it has its fair share of cons, too.Hence, the search for a natural and safer alternative to Ozempic has been relentless.Enter: the surprising discovery!In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists at Duke University have discovered certain cells hidden deep in the pancreas that can actually produce a hormone very similar to Ozempic.

What’s the discovery

A new study published in Science Advances by Duke University researchers shows that pancreatic alpha cells – cells long thought to only produce glucagon (which raises blood sugar) – can also produce GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), the same hormone that Ozempic and Wegovy mimic.The researchers examined both mouse and human pancreatic tissue across different ages, body weights, and diabetes status. Under normal conditions, GLP-1 from alpha cells is low, but when glucagon production is blocked (by manipulating enzymes), alpha cells “switch gears,” producing much more GLP-1.

This boosted insulin secretion and improved blood sugar control.

The mechanism: How it works

But how does the hormone work in the human body?The key players are two enzymes: PC2 and PC1.PC2 drives glucagon production in alpha cells. When PC2 is active, alpha cells make glucagon as usual.PC1 (sometimes noted as PC1/3) drives production of GLP-1. When PC2 is blocked or its activity reduced, PC1/3 activity increases, so alpha cells shift toward making more GLP-1.The Duke University researchers used mass spectrometry to measure bioactive GLP-1 (the form that actually works in the body), not just fragments. They found that human pancreatic tissue produces much higher levels of bioactive GLP-1 under these manipulated conditions. After eating, GLP-1 released from the pancreas alpha cells enters the bloodstream, boosting insulin release from the beta cells, lowering blood sugar, and counteracting glucagon’s blood-sugar-increasing effects.

Why does it matter

For years, Ozempic (semaglutide) and similar drugs have helped by mimicking GLP-1, a gut hormone that boosts insulin, slows digestion, and helps with weight control. Now, researchers have found that under certain conditions, alpha cells in the pancreas can switch gears and produce GLP-1 themselves. What does this mean for treatment?For starters, current GLP-1 drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, etc.) work well but are synthetic versions or mimics.

They require injections, can have side effects, cost money, and sometimes face availability/access issues. If the pancreas could be encouraged (safely) to make more GLP-1 on its own, that could lead to more natural, possibly less expensive, and more accessible treatments. Additionally, in people with type 2 diabetes, the beta cells (which produce insulin) often can’t keep up. Boosting GLP-1 from the pancreas gives another route to help support insulin secretion and control blood sugar.

This built-in “backup plan,” as researchers call it, may help reduce reliance on drugs in some cases. Furthermore, understanding this switching ability (from glucagon to GLP-1) could help develop new therapies. For example, drugs that inhibit PC2, or enhance PC1/3 activity, or other molecular signals that encourage alpha cells to produce more GLP-1. Safely triggering this without messing up glucagon’s needed functions (like releasing sugar when we haven’t eaten) will be tricky but promising.

What’s next

Although the human body-produced Ozempic looks like a game-changer for people with type 2 diabetes or metabolic issues already, it’s still early-stage research. Most of the work has been done in tissue samples and mice. Translating that to safe treatments in humans will require more study.Researchers must make sure that increasing GLP-1 production in alpha cells doesn’t cause unintended problems, such as excessively lowering glucagon (risking low blood sugar) or affecting other hormonal balances.Also, they will need to figure out how to reliably measure GLP-1 output in living humans (not just in lab tissue), how to trigger the switch safely, and what long-term effects it has.