After we eat, GLP-1 is released from the small intestine. GLP-1 has a number of actions in the body that improve blood sugar levels that include the following:
Lowers blood glucose levels by stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas. This process magnifies the release of insulin and is dependent on the blood sugar level. It is does occur if the blood glucose level is low and so GLP-1 medications do not tend to cause hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar levels.
Reduces the amount of glucose that your liver is producing. Typically, the liver produces glucose, and it does this when you are in periods of starvation. So, the liver is a storage mechanism that can release sugar when your blood glucose levels are low and then store it when your blood glucose levels are high. In people with Type 2 diabetes, this process is completely impaired and the liver produces too much glucose.
GLP-1 can cause you to feel full, so it increases early satiety. It does this by slowing gastric emptying, slowing the rate of food moving from your stomach into your small intestines. By doing this, the rate of absorption of nutrients into the blood stream is slowed, including glucose, which may reduce your food intake.