According to researchers, the initial investigation into the comprehensive impact of weight loss medications on human health has yielded an “astonishing” result.
The drugs were associated with improved heart health, a reduced risk of substance abuse, a lower incidence of dementia, and a reduced number of infections, according to the analysis, which involved approximately two million individuals.
The research team from the United States also cautioned that the drugs were “not without risk” and appeared to exacerbate joint discomfort and potentially lethal inflammation in the pancreas.
Nevertheless, the findings necessitate meticulous interpretation.
Researchers Warn of Risks While Highlighting Benefits of Weight Loss Drugs
The prevalence of weight loss medications has surged; however, a comprehensive comprehension of their effects on the body is still being achieved.
Dr. Ziyad al-Aly, a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University, stated, “This is uncharted territory.”
Initially, they were a treatment that had been demonstrated effective for type 2 diabetes. Then, weight loss was observed as a substantial adverse effect, and Ozempic and Wegovy became well-known.
The study employed data on US veterans with type 2 diabetes, some of whom were administered Ozempic or Wegovy, as well as some who received more conventional medications, to evaluate their impact on 175 additional maladies.
In those who were taking the new weight loss drugs, there appeared to be a substantial improvement in cardiac health, as evidenced by reduced rates of heart attacks, stroke, heart failure, and high blood pressure.
They also reduce the risk of substance abuse, including alcohol, opioids, and cannabis, as well as seizures, suicidal ideation, and schizophrenia.
Although the study was short and participants used the medications for only 3.5 years due to their newness, it noted a 12% reduction in Alzheimer’s disease.
Moreover, there was a reduction in bacterial infections, fever, chronic kidney disease, muscle pain, and liver cancer.
Conversely, individuals were considerably more susceptible to digestive system complications. On Ozempic or Wegovy, symptoms such as nausea, abdominal discomfort, inflammation, diverticulitis (bulges in the intestines that can be excruciating), and haemorrhoids were more prevalent.
A study in Nature Medicine found that low blood pressure is becoming more prevalent, often associated with symptoms like fainting, headaches, sleep disturbances, kidney stones, kidney inflammation, and several bone or joint problems, including arthritis.
“It was definitely eye-opening for me to see all these different hits in different organ systems,” according to BBC News.
The explanations for the drugs’ apparent broad-based influence are both straightforward and enigmatic.
As a result, health improves with weight loss. One example is the reduction in sleep apnoea, which occurs when breathing stops repeatedly during sleep. This improvement is linked to weight loss in the tongue and pharynx area, which can block the airways.
Nevertheless, it seems that medications also directly affect the behaviour of cells and tissues in the body.
Dr. Aly stated, “The brain is adversely affected by obesity.” Mental health is adversely affected by obesity. Obesity is detrimental to the cardiovascular system. Obesity may be the root cause of all diseases.
Ozempic and Wegovy, which mimic the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1, contain the same active constituent, semaglutide, but in varying dosages.
The Role of GLP-1 Receptors in Weight-Loss Drugs and Their Impact on the Body
After ingestion, the gut releases GLP-1, which travels through the bloodstream and binds to small receptors on brain cell surfaces.
This signals to the brain that food is in the stomach, so individuals experience diminished hunger after consuming food.
Nevertheless, receptors that respond to GLP-1 are present in various body regions, such as the heart and certain components of the immune system.
“It is very clear this class of drugs seem to suppress reward mechanisms [in the brain so it] inhibits that urge to seek out alcohol, to seek out tobacco, to seek out gambling,” according to Dr Aly.
Meanwhile, the immune system’s alert signal, inflammation, can have various health effects when diminished.
Dr. Aly stated that various health benefits may bolster the case for certain individuals taking the medications.
“When you add more benefit, for the people who really are at risk of these conditions, that’s an added plus,” he pointed out.
However, for those whose weight is not affecting their health, “it is possible that the risk they are taking is significantly greater than the benefit.”
Nevertheless, the study’s findings are restricted by its limitations.
Experts Call for Further Research on Long-Term Effects of Ozempic and Wegovy
The anecdotal phenomenon of enhanced fertility and unexpected “Ozempic babies” was not included in the study, as the majority of the veterans were white men.
Moreover, some individuals might have been prescribed Ozempic or Weygovy instead of other medications, potentially providing different explanations for specific findings.
Clinical trials have clearly shown the advantages of cardiac health, with nausea noted as a common side effect. Nevertheless, further findings will require similarly rigorous testing.
Alzheimer’s disease commences over a decade before the onset of symptoms; however, this investigation indicates that semaglutide may exhibit a protective effect after only a few years of use.
Trials are currently underway to determine the validity of this effect.
Prof. Naveed Sattar of the University of Glasgow stated, “These trials will bring us much closer to the truth.”
“Fortunately… several will report out in the next one to four years.”
Although he found the latest study’s results “interesting,” he noted that they were insufficient to alter medication prescriptions.
Professor Sir Stephen O’Rahilly from the University of Cambridge mentioned that the study needed “careful interpretation” but provided “useful reassurance” about the safety of medications for individuals with diabetes.
Additional research on other patients was “anticipated with enthusiasm.”
The “most surprising finding” was increased joint pain, as weight loss relieves joint pressure.
However, the impact of these drugs was “somewhat unpredictable” due to the presence of GLP-1 receptors in certain immune system cells. Prof. O’Rahilly stated that while certain inflammatory disorders may be alleviated, “others might conceivably be exacerbated.”
Salman Ahmad is known for his significant contributions to esteemed publications like the Times of India and the Express Tribune. Salman has carved a niche as a freelance journalist, combining thorough research with engaging reporting.
