GIP: The Other Incretin Hormone Gaining Ground in Diabetes Drug Development | Research

The takeaway

A narrative review highlights glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) as an increasingly important target for type 2 diabetes therapy alongside GLP-1.

Dual incretin targeting
GIP agonism adds meaningful benefit when combined with GLP-1 receptor activation

What the researchers found

GIP is emerging as a critical therapeutic target alongside GLP-1, with dual agonists showing enhanced efficacy for type 2 diabetes management.

Why it matters

Understanding GIP's contribution to glucose regulation explains why dual agonists like tirzepatide appear more effective than GLP-1 alone, opening new avenues for diabetes treatment.

How the study worked

Narrative review of GIP biology, its role in carbohydrate metabolism, and implications for T2DM drug development.

What this study cannot tell us

Narrative review — selective literature coverage; GIP's complex biology (including potential detrimental effects) not fully resolved.

How to read the evidence

Narrative review — provides useful synthesis of GIP biology but is not a systematic evidence evaluation.

When this study was published

Published 2026. Reflects current understanding of incretin physiology and therapeutics.

The bigger picture

The evolution from GLP-1-only to dual and potentially triple incretin-targeting therapies represents the next frontier in metabolic disease treatment.

Questions still open

Does GIP agonism contribute independently to weight loss or primarily enhance GLP-1 effects?
Could GIP-selective agonists have therapeutic applications on their own?

Common questions

What is GIP and how is it different from GLP-1?

GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) is a gut hormone that helps regulate blood sugar after meals. While GLP-1 has received more attention, GIP works through complementary pathways and is now being targeted in combination therapies.

Why are dual agonists considered better?

By activating both GLP-1 and GIP receptors simultaneously, dual agonists like tirzepatide can achieve greater blood sugar control and weight loss than targeting GLP-1 alone.

Read the original research

The role of GIP in carbohydrate metabolism: Implications in the development of therapies for T2DM, a narrative review.

Histology and histopathology, 41(3), 371-381

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Almorza-Gomar, David; Díaz-Gómez, Alfredo; Visiedo, Francisco; García-Ortiz, José-Carlos; Camacho-Ramírez, Alonso; Ribelles-García, Antonio; Prada-Oliveira, José-Arturo; Pérez-Arana, Gonzalo-Martín. (2026). The role of GIP in carbohydrate metabolism: Implications in the development of therapies for T2DM, a narrative review.. Histology and histopathology, 41(3), 371-381. https://doi.org/10.14670/HH-18-967