GLP‑1 receptor agonists are rewriting the future of obesity and type 2 diabetes care. With unprecedented weight loss results and significant improvements in blood glucose and cardiovascular health, these drugs represent one of the most important breakthroughs in modern medicine.
But now that GLP‑1 is going mainstream, a critical question emerges: are we truly leveraging their full potential in real-world care?
GLP‑1 Prescriptions Are Surging
In the last five years, GLP‑1 prescriptions have skyrocketed. In the US alone, the use of semaglutide and tirzepatide has increased by over 580% since 2019, with a growing proportion of prescriptions written for weight loss rather than diabetes. The buzz is global. Physicians are prescribing it more. Patients are demanding it more. Social media is fueling it daily.
But scale is not success.
As millions of patients start GLP‑1 therapy, many do not achieve the results seen in clinical trials. Some stop early. Others tolerate side effects poorly. Too often, the promise fades.
Clinical Trials vs. Real Life
A recent real-world study by the Cleveland Clinic confirmed what many suspected: patients in everyday life lose 40 to 50% less weight on GLP‑1 compared to those enrolled in trials. The reasons are clear:
- Poor management of side effects (nausea, fatigue, GI symptoms)
- Inconsistent follow-up and limited lifestyle guidance
- Unrealistic expectations and limited motivation
- Lack of structured support to sustain adherence
The lesson? Medication alone is not enough.
Why Support Matters
GLP‑1 therapies open a unique metabolic window — a short period when the body is biologically aligned for change. But unless that moment is used wisely, the effects are short-lived. As soon as treatment stops, weight often returns.
What’s needed is not just medication, but transformation.
That’s where structured digital support comes in. A well-designed therapeutic program can:
- Improve medication adherence
- Reduce discontinuation by managing side effects
- Guide behavior change with personalized, real-time advice
- Help patients translate short-term weight loss into long-term metabolic health
The Boli Approach
At boli, we’re building a new kind of digital therapeutic — one designed specifically for patients on GLP‑1 therapies.
Our solution combines intelligent monitoring with personalized coaching to:
- Make the first weeks of treatment safer and more tolerable
- Help patients build habits aligned with their metabolic needs
- Provide data-driven insights to clinicians, researchers, and regulators
We don’t just aim to support patients. We want to make GLP‑1 truly work in real life.
Turning Data Into Impact
What makes boli unique is not just the support we offer — it’s the data we generate.
Our platform collects clean, structured real-world data from patients using GLP‑1s, offering an unprecedented window into how these drugs perform outside clinical trials. This fuels:
- Clinical research and outcomes studies
- Regulatory insights for market access
- The development of next-generation metabolic therapies
GLP‑1 is just the beginning. With the right support, it can unlock a new era of personalized, evidence-based metabolic care.
Conclusion
The promise of GLP‑1 is real. But so is the risk of underdelivering if we fail to support patients where it matters most.
Digital health won’t replace medication — but it will determine whether medication changes lives. That’s why we built boli.
The era of metabolic care has started. Let’s make it work.
