Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound and different medication typically used for weight reduction could assist decrease the danger of a variety of well being circumstances, from diabetes to Alzheimer’s, based on a brand new examine, however in addition they could include dangers like pancreatitis and abdomen paralysis.
The big observational examine, revealed Monday in Nature Medication, is the primary of its sort to map the dangers and advantages of medicine like Ozempic throughout 175 potential well being outcomes, based on the authors.
These well being outcomes ranged from psychotic problems, seizures and dementia to gastrointestinal problems, hypotension and arthritis.
“Given the drugs’ newness and skyrocketing popularity, it is important to systematically examine their effects on all body systems — leaving no stone unturned — to understand what they do and what they don’t do,” mentioned the examine’s senior creator, Ziyad Al-Aly, a scientific epidemiologist and nephrologist at WashU Medication in St. Louis, Mo.
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“Our approach has allowed us to build a comprehensive atlas mapping the associations of GLP-1RA spanning all organ systems. The study’s results provide insights into some known and previously unrecognized benefits and risks of GLP-1RA that may be useful to inform clinical care and guide research agendas,” he mentioned in a Monday media launch.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (also referred to as GLP-1s), together with medicines like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Zepbound, have gained recognition through the years.
Initially developed to deal with Kind 2 diabetes, these medication have develop into more and more standard over the previous decade for managing diabetes, weight problems and different well being circumstances.
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“At a very high level, when you give the drug to somebody, you’re sort of telling the body that it’s just eaten a meal. So the effects that this drug has is that it works on the brain to reduce appetite and to change the craving for food and even other things as this paper shows,” defined Hertzel Gerstein, an endocrinologist and a professor of drugs at McMaster College in Hamilton.
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Between 900,000 and 1.4 million Canadians use a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic to handle weight reduction and Kind 2 diabetes, based on a March 2024 survey by Dalhousie College’s Agri-Meals Analytics Lab.
As the recognition of those medication has grown and extra individuals have began utilizing them, reviews of potential dangers have additionally elevated, with essentially the most regarding being abdomen paralysis and different gastrointestinal points.
However with this new examine, researchers have compiled what they are saying is the clearest ever image of the effectiveness and dangers related to taking GLP-1s.
To do that, the researchers seemed on the well being of 215,000 individuals with Kind 2 diabetes between 2017 and 2023 maintained by the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs. Sufferers included individuals of various ages, races and sexes.
They then in contrast these findings to a management group of over a million people utilizing different anti-diabetic medication. They discovered that GLP-1 customers had a decrease threat for 42 totally different well being circumstances or antagonistic occasions however had been at a better threat for 19 others.
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The examine discovered that GLP-1 medication supplied important advantages for neurological and behavioural well being, together with decrease dangers of seizures and substance dependancy to issues like alcohol, hashish, stimulants and opioids.
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Individuals taking these medicines additionally had diminished dangers of suicidal ideas, self-harm, bulimia and even psychotic problems like schizophrenia, the examine mentioned.
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“Interestingly, GLP-1RA drugs act on receptors that are expressed in brain areas involved in impulse control, reward and addiction — potentially explaining their effectiveness in curbing appetite and addiction disorders,” Al-Aly mentioned within the media launch.
“These drugs also reduce inflammation in the brain and result in weight loss; both these factors may improve brain health and explain the reduced risk of conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia,” he added.
The findings additionally revealed a diminished threat of neurocognitive problems, together with Alzheimer’s and dementia — a development that aligns with rising proof from earlier analysis.
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An October 2024 examine within the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia discovered that semaglutide, the lively ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, appeared to cut back the danger of Alzheimer’s illness in individuals with Kind 2 diabetes.
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The examine in Nature Medication additionally discovered the treatment had the potential to decrease the danger of coronary heart assault, stroke and different cardiovascular considerations.
Whereas GLP-1 medication show effectiveness in opposition to a big selection of well being issues, the magnitude of related advantages is modest — a few 10 per cent to twenty per cent discount for many outcomes, the examine discovered.
“However, the modest effect does not negate the potential value of these drugs, especially for conditions where few effective treatment options exist, for example, dementia,” Al-Aly mentioned.
“This may also imply that these drugs are most beneficial when used in conjunction with other interventions, such as lifestyle changes or other medications.”
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Unwanted side effects are a risk with any treatment, Gerstein defined.
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The examine confirmed that GLP-1 medication include unwanted effects that improve the dangers of constipation, diarrhea, abdomen upset, delicate nausea and occasional vomiting, he mentioned.
The researchers added that most of the dangers related to medication like Ozempic, together with abdomen paralysis, have been noticed each in analysis and anecdotally, and their examine confirms these findings.
For instance, a 2023 examine revealed in JAMA discovered that these weight reduction medication are related to an elevated threat of abdomen paralysis, pancreatitis and bowel obstruction.
The examine additionally discovered that the medication elevated individuals’s odds of growing gastrointestinal points, low blood strain and arthritis.
Nonetheless, the examine additionally highlighted extra dangers that haven’t been researched earlier than, together with the potential destructive results of GLP-1 medication on the pancreas and kidneys.
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“The study raised the possibility that it might increase the risk of kidney stones, which I have not seen published before, so that’s what’s summarized in this study,” Gerstein mentioned.
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“But nothing in medicine works for everybody and nothing has zero side effects. Everything has side effects,” he added.
Whereas these antagonistic results are unusual, they are often very severe; physicians have to be vigilant for indicators of pancreatitis and monitor kidney perform amongst individuals taking GLP-1RA medicines, the researchers famous.
“GLP-1RA drugs can have broad health benefits,” Al-Aly mentioned. “However, they are not without risks. Our findings underscore the possibility for wider applications for these medications but also highlight important risks that should be carefully monitored in people taking these drugs.”
GLP-1 medication are backed by giant randomized trials that present, “unequivocally,” their means to do way more than simply promote weight reduction and decrease blood sugar, Gerstein mentioned.
These medication have been confirmed to cut back the danger of coronary heart assaults, strokes, coronary heart failure, kidney illness, kidney failure, hospitalizations and even deaths, he mentioned.
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“This class of drugs, the GLP-1 receptor agonist class is a huge game changer drug in the management of diabetes,” he mentioned.
Nonetheless, when taking a look at these research he mentioned it’s necessary to notice that these are outcomes for the typical individual, so what may go for one individual could not work for an additional.
“This does not mean that everybody in the world should go out and get this drug. It means, though, that people should discuss with their physician the options for them and what the benefits and the potential harms and adverse effects are for this drug,” Gerstein mentioned.
He believes the general advantages of those medication outweigh the dangers for individuals who want them, however added, “There can be harms, and you cannot dismiss that possibility.”
“You need to have the discussion [with your doctor] as this is not going to be for everybody.”
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