The Life Scientific: Jens Juul Holst
Discovery
BBC
4.3 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 4 May 2026
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
As recently as a few years ago, the idea of a self-administered injection that would deliver proven weight-loss results might have sounded fantastical. Today, these medications are a reality and a global phenomenon; hailed in many quarters as “miracle drugs" for their success in treating obesity and diabetes. They do this by replicating a gut hormone called GLP‑1, which tells the brain you’ve eaten enough and nudges the pancreas to release insulin; and this hormone was discovered and decoded thanks to years of work by today's guest. Jens Juul Holst is a Professor of Medical Physiology and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen. His efforts laid the groundwork for today’s weight loss jabs, earning him a slew of high-profile accolades and awards. Now it seems they might not only have positive impacts on obesity and diabetes, but also other health issues... But alongside the big success comes some big questions: including concerns over side effects, weight regain post-treatment, the black market in such drugs, and their cost and accessibility. In a frank conversation with Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Jens address these issues and shares his hopes for the future of GLP-1-focused research.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. |
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| 0:10.5 | In the Martin Lewis podcast, I'll give you tips to keep more cash in your pocket |
| 0:13.9 | and answer your important questions. |
| 0:16.7 | Now that we're starting from scratch, what is the best way for us to move forward? |
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| 0:26.2 | The Martin Lewis podcast, listen on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:30.1 | Hello, a Zenpick, Wigovee, Manjaro. |
| 0:33.8 | Just a few years ago, most of us had never heard these names. |
| 0:37.2 | Now they're everywhere, hailed as miracle weight-lost drugs that help people shed the pounds |
| 0:42.3 | by replicating a gut hormone called GLP1, which tells the brain that you've eaten enough |
| 0:48.7 | and nudges the pancreas to release insulin. |
| 0:52.1 | While the leading researchers behind this breakthrough is Jens Yule Hulse, |
| 0:56.0 | Professor of Medical Physiology and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, |
| 1:00.9 | whose work in the 1980s helped discover and decode GLP1. |
| 1:06.2 | Over the decades since then, Yens has laid the groundwork for today's wonder drugs |
| 1:10.6 | that are changing |
| 1:11.4 | the lives of millions worldwide by treating obesity and diabetes. This has earned Jens a slew of |
| 1:18.1 | high-profile accolades, including the Breakthrough Prize and the Tang Prize. And he was named |
| 1:23.9 | among Time magazine's 100 most influential people in health for 2024. |
| 1:29.3 | But with great power come great big questions. |
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