# Semaglutide References: The Peer-Reviewed Sources, with DOIs

> Semaglutide references: the full peer-reviewed source list behind this digest — STEP, SUSTAIN, SELECT, FLOW and the mechanism studies — with DOIs and PubMed links.

## About these sources

Every quantitative claim on this site about semaglutide maps to one of the numbered references below — pivotal randomized trials (STEP, SUSTAIN, SELECT, FLOW, SURMOUNT-5, ESSENCE), mechanistic studies of the brain appetite circuits, pharmacokinetic and safety reviews, and pharmacovigilance analyses. Each entry lists the title, authors, journal, year, and a DOI or PubMed/NCBI link so any figure can be checked at its source. These are summaries of published research, not medical advice.

## References

[1] Wilding JPH, et al. (STEP 1 Study Group). Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33567185/
[2] Marso SP, et al. (SUSTAIN-6 Investigators). Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27633186/
[3] Lincoff AM, et al. (SELECT Trial Investigators). Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37952131/
[4] Gabery S, et al. Semaglutide lowers body weight in rodents via distributed neural pathways. JCI Insight. 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32213703/
[5] Smits MM, Van Raalte DH. Safety of Semaglutide. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34305810/
[6] Perkovic V, et al. (FLOW Trial Committees and Investigators). Effects of Semaglutide on Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38785209/
[7] Aronne LJ, et al. (SURMOUNT-5 Investigators). Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40353578/
[8] Singh I, et al. Time and metabolic state-dependent effects of GLP-1R agonists on NPY/AgRP and POMC neuronal activity in vivo. Mol Metab. 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34626854/
[9] Secher A, et al. The arcuate nucleus mediates GLP-1 receptor agonist liraglutide-dependent weight loss. J Clin Invest. 2014. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25202980/
[10] Frias JP, et al. Efficacy and safety of once-weekly semaglutide 2.0 mg versus 1.0 mg in patients with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN FORTE). Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34293304/
[11] Mahapatra MK, et al. Therapeutic Potential of Semaglutide, a Newer GLP-1 Receptor Agonist, in Abating Obesity, Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Pharm Res. 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35650449/
[12] Spotlight on the Mechanism of Action of Semaglutide. Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39728000/
[13] Mahapatra MK, Karuppasamy M, Sahoo BM. Semaglutide. StatPearls [Internet]. 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK603723/
[14] Wharton S, et al. Gastrointestinal tolerability of once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg in adults with overweight or obesity, and the relationship between gastrointestinal adverse events and weight loss. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34514682/
[15] A real-world disproportionality analysis of semaglutide: Post-marketing pharmacovigilance data. J Diabetes Investig. 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38943656/
[16] Assessment of Thyroid Carcinogenic Risk and Safety Profile of GLP1-RA: A Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2024. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25084346
[17] McCrimmon RJ, et al. Impact of Semaglutide on Body Composition in Adults With Overweight or Obesity. J Endocr Soc. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvab048.030
[18] Wilding JPH, et al. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441470/
[19] Rubino D, et al. Effect of Continued Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Placebo on Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults With Overweight or Obesity (STEP 4). JAMA. 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33755728/
[20] Alopecia associated with the use of semaglutide and tirzepatide: A disproportionality analysis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38925559/
[21] Telogen Effluvium Associated With Weight Loss: A Single Center Retrospective Study. Ann Dermatol. 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39623615/
[22] Aroda VR, et al. Current Understanding of Sodium N-(8-[2-Hydroxylbenzoyl] Amino) Caprylate (SNAC) as an Absorption Enhancer: The Oral Semaglutide Experience. Clin Diabetes. 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38230324/
[23] Au Yeung SL, et al. Drug-Drug Interactions Between Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and Oral Medications: A Systematic Review. Drug Saf. 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38273155/
[24] Sanyal AJ, et al. (ESSENCE Study Group). Phase 3 Trial of Semaglutide in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis. N Engl J Med. 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40305708/

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A forward-looking digest that decodes the semaglutide literature — mechanism first, every figure traced to the trial that measured it.