What Is Gastroparesis?
August is Gastroparesis Awareness Month, an opportunity to raise awareness about a digestive disorder that affects an estimated 5 million people in the United States. Although gastroparesis has long been recognized by gastroenterologists, it has recently gained public attention because of the widespread use of GLP-1 receptor agonists for diabetes and weight management.
Gastroparesis is a condition in which the stomach empties food more slowly than normal without a physical blockage. This delayed emptying can lead to symptoms that interfere with nutrition, blood sugar control, and quality of life.¹
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms vary from person to person but commonly include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Feeling full after eating only a small amount
- Bloating
- Upper abdominal pain
- Poor appetite
- Weight loss
- Difficulty controlling blood glucose in people with diabetes¹
Because these symptoms overlap with many other digestive conditions, gastroparesis is often underdiagnosed.
Why Is It Receiving More Attention?
The increased use of GLP-1 receptor agonists, including semaglutide (Ozempic®, Wegovy®) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro®, Zepbound®), has brought greater awareness to gastric motility.
These medications intentionally slow stomach emptying to improve blood glucose control and increase feelings of fullness. While this effect contributes to their success in treating diabetes and obesity, it can also cause gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea and early satiety. In some individuals—particularly those with long-standing diabetes—GLP-1 therapy may uncover an underlying motility disorder that had previously gone unrecognized rather than causing gastroparesis itself.²
Experts emphasize that persistent symptoms should be evaluated carefully before assuming they are simply medication side effects.²
Current Treatment Options
Treatment depends on symptom severity and typically begins with lifestyle changes.
Current management may include:
- Eating smaller, more frequent meals
- Choosing lower-fat and lower-fiber foods
- Maintaining good hydration
- Optimizing blood glucose control in people with diabetes²
When symptoms persist, medications that improve stomach motility or reduce nausea may be prescribed. These include:
- Metoclopramide
- Domperidone (where available)
- Short-term erythromycin²
Patients with severe disease who do not respond to medication may benefit from newer procedures such as gastric peroral endoscopic pyloromyotomy (G-POEM) or gastric electrical stimulation.² G-POEM involves inserting an endoscope through the mouth, making an incision in the stomach lining, cutting the pyloric muscle from within to relax the pylorus so food can pass more easily into the small intestine.
New Research Offers Hope
Researchers continue to investigate new therapies aimed at improving stomach motility while minimizing side effects.
Areas of active research include:
- Ghrelin receptor agonists such as relamorelin
- New prokinetic medications
- Improved non-invasive diagnostic testing
- Better understanding of which patients develop persistent symptoms while using GLP-1 medications²
As GLP-1 therapies become more common, researchers also hope to better distinguish temporary medication-related stomach slowing from chronic gastroparesis.
Key Takeaways
- August is Gastroparesis Awareness Month.
- Gastroparesis is delayed stomach emptying without a physical blockage.
- Diabetes remains one of the leading causes of the condition.
- GLP-1 medications have increased public awareness because they naturally slow stomach emptying, but they do not automatically cause gastroparesis.
- New medications and minimally invasive procedures are expanding treatment options for patients with difficult-to-manage disease.
Source:
Camilleri M, Chedid V, Ford AC, et al. Management of Medically Refractory Gastroparesis. JAMA. 2025. Available from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2852115. Accessed August 1, 2026.
Jivan A, Alves M, Jordão A. Gastroparesis in the Geriatric Population and Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Therapy: A Narrative Review. Revista Portuguesa de Diabetes. 2026;21(1):12-21. Available from: https://www.revportdiabetes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RPD_Marco_2026_Artigo_Revisao_1_12-21.pdf. Accessed August 1, 2026.
