On-Demand CE/CME · Watch anytime · Lifetime access
GLP-1 Agonists Through a Functional Lens
Pharmacotherapy, physiology & patient support
A practical hour connecting GLP-1 physiology, the medications themselves, and the nutrition and lifestyle support patients actually need — GI tolerance, lean mass preservation, and long-term metabolic health.
1 hr
CME/CE credit
On-demand
Start instantly
∞
Lifetime access
$391 CE/CME · on-demand + lifetime access
No functional medicine background required
Watch at your own pace — pause, rewind, revisit anytime
Course outline
3 parts · 60 min
1
Understanding & supporting endogenous GLP-1
2
GLP-1 receptor agonists in practice
3
Supporting patients on GLP-1 therapy
Taught by Dr. Melody L. Hartzler, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM
The gap
The prescription is the easy part
GLP-1 medications are being started at a pace few clinicians were trained for. What patients come back asking about — nausea, constipation, what to eat, muscle loss, what happens when they stop — is rarely covered in the drug monograph.
Your patient scenario
What walks in the door
Nausea, constipation, and reflux that threaten adherence
Weight coming off — but lean mass going with it
Intake so low that protein and micronutrients fall short
“Weight loss resistance” framed as a willpower problem
No plan for tapering, long-term use, or rebound weight gain
What you need
What you’ll be able to do
Explain GLP-1 signaling, appetite regulation, and glycemic control
Use diet, microbiome, and lifestyle levers to support endogenous GLP-1
Compare available agonists — mechanisms, indications, red flags
Manage GI tolerability so patients can stay on therapy
Protect lean mass and build a plan beyond the medication
What’s covered
Four clinical foundations for GLP-1 care
01
Understand the Physiology
GLP-1 secretion and signaling, the gut-brain axis, and enteroendocrine cell function.
02
Support It Naturally
Protein timing, fiber and SCFAs, microbiome strategy, meal timing, exercise, and nutraceuticals.
03
Know the Medications
Single, dual, and multi-agonists — mechanisms, dosing and titration, adverse effects, contraindications.
04
Support the Patient
GI tolerance, protein adequacy, lean mass preservation, and long-term metabolic resilience.
Why this course was created
“Patients need support with GI tolerance, nutrition adequacy, muscle preservation, and sustainability planning.”
GLP-1 agonists have moved from the diabetes clinic into nearly every practice — often faster than the guidance around them. This one-hour on-demand course connects the physiology to the pharmacology to the day-to-day questions patients bring back, so you can counsel on realistic expectations, manage GI side effects, protect lean mass, and plan for what happens after the prescription — treating GLP-1s as a tool, not a standalone solution.
Dr. Melody L. Hartzler, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM
Course instructor
Who this is for
Built for the whole care team
No advanced training required — just a shared, practical framework each discipline can act on immediately.
Physicians, NPs & PAs
Prescribing, titrating, and monitoring GLP-1 therapy.
Pharmacists
Counseling on titration, adverse effects, access, and adherence.
Dietitians & Nutrition Pros
Protecting protein adequacy and lean mass on reduced intake.
Primary Care Clinicians
Fielding the weight-management questions that now arrive daily.
Health Coaches
Supporting sustainable behavior change alongside pharmacotherapy.
New to Integrative Weight Management
Building a first practical, evidence-informed framework.
Course outline · 60 minutes
What you’ll learn
A time-efficient, clinically grounded hour — from physiology, to pharmacotherapy, to the support patients need on therapy.
1
Understanding & Supporting Endogenous GLP-1 15–20 min
GLP-1 physiology — secretion, signaling, and metabolic effects — plus the gut-brain axis and enteroendocrine cell function, and the role of insulin resistance, microbiome diversity, and inflammation. Then the clinical levers: dietary patterns that enhance GLP-1 secretion, protein timing and distribution, fiber fermentation and SCFA production, prebiotic fibers and Akkermansia-supportive interventions, meal timing and circadian rhythm, exercise-induced GLP-1 signaling, and select nutraceuticals with emerging evidence.
2
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Practice 20 min
A review of currently available GLP-1 receptor agonists, dual- and multi-agonist considerations, and indications across diabetes, obesity, and cardiometabolic risk. Pharmacologic considerations include mechanisms of action versus physiologic GLP-1, dosing, titration, common adverse effects, GI tolerability and adherence challenges, and contraindications and clinical red flags — with a pharmacist-specific focus on counseling expectations versus outcomes, medication access, shortages, ethical considerations, and ongoing monitoring.
3
Supporting Patients ON GLP-1 Therapy 20–25 min
Nutrition support — protein adequacy, lean mass preservation, micronutrient considerations with reduced intake, and preventing under-fueling and malnutrition. GI support for nausea, constipation, reflux, and delayed gastric emptying. Lifestyle optimization through resistance training, metabolic adaptation prevention, and sleep, stress, and cortisol effects on weight regain. Closes with clinical framing — GLP-1s as a tool, not a standalone solution — tapering and long-term use discussions, preventing rebound weight gain, and a case snapshot.
The takeaway
You’ll walk away with
A working model of GLP-1 physiology and appetite regulation
Evidence-based ways to support endogenous GLP-1 activity
Clarity on the available agonists and their clinical considerations
A support plan for GI tolerance, lean mass, and the long term
PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM
Course instructor
Dr. Melody L. Hartzler
Functional Medicine Provider & Educator · Dayton, OH
Dr. Hartzler is a functional medicine provider and educator whose clinical focus spans functional gastrointestinal disorders, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic conditions, thyroid and hormone balance, and autoimmune conditions. Board certified in ambulatory care and in advanced diabetes management, she teaches clinicians how to pair pharmacotherapy with the nutrition and lifestyle work that makes it stick.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for CE/CME credit?
This one-hour course offers CE/CME credit for pharmacists, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, and registered dietitians. Credits are provided through our accredited continuing education partner.
Do I need prior functional medicine training?
No. This is a foundational course designed for busy clinicians who may have no prior functional or integrative background. Everything is explained in practical, clinically relevant terms.
When can I watch it?
Immediately. This course is fully on-demand — enroll and start watching right away, at whatever pace suits you. You keep lifetime access, so you can revisit the material and your CE credit whenever you need it.
Is this only for prescribers?
No. Part two covers pharmacotherapy in prescriber-relevant detail, but parts one and three are built for the whole team — pharmacists, dietitians, nutrition professionals, and health coaches all leave with role-specific strategies.
Prescribe, counsel, and support GLP-1 patients with confidence
Enroll today and start watching immediately — on your schedule, with lifetime access.
1 Hour CE/CME — $39On-demand · start instantly · lifetime access
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