WEIGHT loss, warding off dementia, ‘curing’ diabetes and now... anti-ageing powers?
Is thereanythingthe so-called can’t do?
While a that reverses the clock would be a miracle, we’re notquitethere, yet.
But scientists hope the “game-changing miracle”; like , Wegovy and , could be the next best thing, helping us live longer.
Just last week, a study found that semaglutide – the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy – could “significantly”; slash the risk of the brain-robbing disease , in people with type 2 .
Researchers at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, studied 1.7million American patients with type 2 diabetes over three years.
Originally designed to treat , the jabs mimic a gut hormone called GLP-1.
This leads to a reduction in appetite and regulates levels.
Now, they are prescribed to help melt fat away, and are taking the nation’s waistline by storm.
And new research is showing that these jabs could reduce the risk of various deadly diseases, from to and .
They could also prevent deaths from these conditions, according to results of the SELECT trial, published in 2023.
Funded by Ozempic and Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk, it tracked 17,600 people either given the jab, or a placebo, for three years.
All of the volunteers taking part were , over the age of 45 and had been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.
During the trial, 833 people died. But those who were on fat jabs were 19 per cent less likely to die of any cause, and 15 per cent less likely to die a heart-related death.
Levels of inflammation in the body were also reduced, regardless of how much .
This is one of the key theories behind why fat jabs may have additional benefits.
Inflammation, triggered by and associated lifestyle choices, is often what drives heart disease and other major causes of death.
“We know that chronic inflammation speeds up ,”; Dr Amos Ogunkoya, a GP in , tells Sun .
“It causes DNA damage – and that’s the reason diabetes and obesity increase the risk of certain cancers and tissue damage.
“The more inflammation you have, the more DNA damage you have.”;
Professor Rameen Shakur, a molecular biologist and director of Brighton Integrative Genomics Unit, says: “We do know that turning down chronic systemic inflammation helps in healthy longevity.”;
But he adds: “Ageing is a complicated soup of systems and signals which is, over time, weakening and decaying the cells that keep our body fit and well.
“It’s a multi-dimensional complex, not one thing.
“Ageing involves free radicals, telomeres and general decay. If I have , I won’t have wrinkles, but it won’t positively affect my heart.
“There’s no study that says, ‘I took Ozempic and now I’m Benjamin Button’.
We know that chronic inflammation speeds up ageing
Dr Amos Ogunkoya
“We don’t understand if it ‘reverses the clock’. But it has additional effects because it reduces calories [eaten].”;
What is certain though is that like all medicines, weight loss jabs do come with a , most commonly nausea, diarrhoea and constipation.
But there are also more serious risks, including pancreatitis and gastroparesis.
So while there are risks, for those Brits who are overweight and either already living with, or en route to a chronic illness that could shorten their life, doctors agree these jabs have huge potential to improve lives.
So whatdoesthe say? Here’s how Ozempic could extend your life...
HEART OF IT
LOSING weight has huge benefits on the heart.
“Living with excess weight or obesity can increase the chances of developing cardiovascular disease,”; Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation and consultant cardiologist, tells Sun Health.
“TheSELECT trial, which involved people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, found that semaglutide can reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, or having a heart attack or by around 20 per cent.
“Plus, it was found that semaglutide can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, even if they didn’t lose weight.
“This suggests that the medicines are having other positive effects, such as where fat is stored, and regulation of blood sugar, blood pressure and inflammation.”;
Diabetes, and are all associated with obesity, and have a negative impact on the heart and blood vessels.
THE BIG C
OBESITY is the second most common cause of cancer in the UK, behind .
But scientists believe the jabs’ influence on inflammation, hormones and chemicals in the blood might add extra protection against cancer.
One study compared 3,200 patients who lost weight with GLP-1 injections with 3,200 who had surgery.
The jabs were 41 per cent more effective at preventing cancer, the researchers from reported in eClinicalMedicine.
Dr Matthew Harris, of the Cancer Research Centre, added: “Injectable weight loss medications give a genuinely promising possible option for cancer prevention in the future.”;
Another study found diabetics on GLP-1 were less likely to get 13 types of cancer associated with obesity over 15 years, from to and , than those on other meds.
MIND MATTERS
STUDIES suggest semaglutide may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s – the most common form of dementia and the in the UK.
One, published in the journalAlzheimer’s and Dementia, found that type 2 diabetics had a 40 to 70 per cent reduced risk of Alzheimer’s when they were on semaglutide compared to other diabetic drugs.
Another, published in JAMA Neurology, showed a 33 per cent lower risk.
The researchers said it’s not clear how the drugs are protecting the brain, but inflammation is thought to play a major role in the development of Alzheimer’s.
Dr Amos says: “Inflammation causes damage to neurons (in the brain).
“It’s also quite common for people’s Alzheimer’s or their cognitive decline to get worse when they’re ill because inflammation markers are high.”;
A study byImperial College Londonalso showed that liraglutide (Saxenda) could reduce brain shrinkage in patients already with Alzheimer’s, by 50 per cent.
BUT WHAT ABOUT ‘OZEMPIC FACE’?
WHILE might have internal anti-ageing benefits, there’s a danger they could make youlookolder.
“‘’ is a loss of volume in the face, which can visually make wrinkles look worse,”; warns Dr Amos.
“When you lose fat in your face, and your skin doesn’t follow, you can look saggy and older.”;
Rapid also means a loss in muscle mass, which helps define a figure and reduce loose skin.
It’s also important the more you age to reduce frailty, and protect bones.
Dr Amos recommends weight training while on weight loss jabs.
He says: “Lots of people are getting Ozempic privately and they’re not aware of the side effects of muscle loss and not training or changing their lifestyle.”;
