Demand for weight-loss drugs offered below model names equivalent to Ozempic and Wegovy continues to surge, with a current research reporting one in eight People has taken or is at present utilizing the medicine to deal with diabetes, coronary heart illness or weight problems.
Formally, these medicine are often known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) and embrace Mounjaro and Zepbound. Informally, media, sufferers and even some physicians have dubbed GLP-1 drugs as “miracle medicine” due to the profound weight reduction amongst customers. Whereas these well being advantages are effectively established, data is sparse on the medicine’ results throughout the physique’s organ methods.
Now, scientists at Washington College Faculty of Drugs in St. Louis and the Veterans Affairs (VA) St. Louis Well being Care System have systematically evaluated well being outcomes amongst greater than 2 million individuals with diabetes taking the favored weight-loss medicine. They discovered widespread associations with advantages to cognitive and behavioral well being, whereas additionally revealing elevated dangers for pancreatitis and kidney circumstances, amongst others.
The research is printed Jan. 20 within the journal Nature Drugs.
“Given the medicine’ newness and skyrocketing reputation, you will need to systematically look at their results on all physique methods – leaving no stone unturned – to know what they do and what they do not do,” mentioned the research’s senior creator, Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, a scientific epidemiologist and nephrologist who treats sufferers on the WashU Drugs-affiliated John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital in St. Louis.
Our strategy has allowed us to construct a complete atlas mapping the associations of GLP-1RA spanning all organ methods. The research’s outcomes present insights into some identified and beforehand unrecognized advantages and dangers of GLP-1RA which may be helpful to tell scientific care and information analysis agendas.”
Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, scientific epidemiologist and nephrologist
The medicine, taken as soon as per week by injection, simulate naturally produced hormones that curb urge for food and gradual digestion, creating longer-lasting satiety. A nutritious diet and train additionally help with weight reduction.
For the research, WashU Drugs researchers analyzed de-identified medical information in a database maintained by the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs. They in contrast 175 well being outcomes between veterans who took GLP-1RA medicine to deal with their diabetes and those that took extra conventional drugs offered below model names equivalent to Jardiance, Glipizide and Januvia.
Altogether, the dataset examined greater than 2 million veterans who have been handled for diabetes from Oct. 1, 2017, to Dec. 31, 2023. Sufferers included individuals of various ages, races and sexes.
GLP-1RA medicine have been related to vital advantages to neurological and behavioral well being, with diminished dangers of seizures and dependancy to substances equivalent to alcohol, hashish, stimulants and opioids. Folks taking the weight-loss medicine additionally skilled decreased dangers of suicidal ideation, self-harm, bulimia and psychotic problems equivalent to schizophrenia.
WashU Drugs’s findings additionally confirmed a decreased threat of neurocognitive problems equivalent to Alzheimer’s and dementia.
“Curiously, GLP-1RA medicine act on receptors which can be expressed in mind areas concerned in impulse management, reward and dependancy – probably explaining their effectiveness in curbing urge for food and dependancy problems,” mentioned Al-Aly, the director of the Medical Epidemiology Heart on the VA St. Louis Well being Care System, the place he’s head of the analysis and improvement service. “These medicine additionally scale back irritation within the mind and lead to weight reduction; each these elements might enhance mind well being and clarify the diminished threat of circumstances like Alzheimer’s illness and dementia.”
Whereas GLP-1RA medicine show effectiveness in opposition to a big selection of well being issues, the magnitude of related advantages is modest – a few 10 % to twenty % discount for many outcomes. “Nonetheless, the modest impact doesn’t negate the potential worth of those medicine, particularly for circumstances the place few efficient remedy choices exist, for instance, dementia,” Al-Aly mentioned. “This will likely additionally suggest that these medicine are most useful when used along with different interventions, equivalent to life-style modifications or different drugs.”
The research additionally confirmed previous analysis findings detailing the medicine’ potential to decrease the danger of coronary heart assault, stroke and different cardiovascular issues.
Al-Aly emphasised that his research additionally highlighted potential downsides to the drugs, together with an elevated threat of gastrointestinal issues equivalent to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and in uncommon instances paralysis of the abdomen. “These have been effectively documented within the analysis and anecdotally,” Al-Aly mentioned. “Our research confirmed such findings.”
However what’s novel is the potential methods GLP-1RA medicine can negatively have an effect on the pancreas and kidneys. Whereas these adversarial results are unusual, they are often very severe; physicians should be vigilant for indicators of pancreatitis and monitor kidney perform amongst individuals taking GLP-1RA drugs. Kidney issues can happen with out signs till the situation is at a sophisticated stage with restricted remedy choices.
“GLP-1RA medicine can have broad well being advantages,” Al-Aly mentioned. “Nonetheless, they aren’t with out dangers. Our findings underscore the chance for wider functions for these drugs but in addition spotlight vital dangers that needs to be rigorously monitored in individuals taking these medicine.”
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Journal reference:
Xie, Y, et al. (2025) . Mapping the effectiveness and dangers of GLP-1 receptor agonists. Nature Drugs. doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-03412-w.