A new study suggests that the weight loss drug Ozempic, known for its use in treating Type 2 diabetes and obesity, might also have the potential to slow down the ageing process. Previously, research indicated that semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, could reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease in obese patients. This new study expands on these findings, revealing that semaglutide may reduce mortality rates from all causes.
The study, conducted over three years, involved 17,604 individuals aged 45 or older who were overweight or obese and had existing cardiovascular conditions. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either semaglutide or a placebo. The results showed that those on semaglutide had a lower overall mortality rate compared to the placebo group, with a particularly notable reduction in deaths from infections.
Prof. Harlan Krumholz from Yale School of Medicine remarked, “Semaglutide has far-reaching benefits beyond what we initially imagined. It’s not just avoiding heart attacks. These are health promoters. It wouldn’t surprise me that improving people’s health this way actually slows down the ageing process.”
Of the 833 deaths observed during the study, 58% were related to cardiovascular causes and 42% were due to other reasons. The data indicated that semaglutide users were less likely to die from infections and consistently showed a reduction in adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
Benjamin Scirica, a Harvard professor and lead author of one of the studies, added, “The robust reduction in non-cardiovascular death, and particularly infections deaths, was surprising. These findings reinforce that overweight and obesity increase the risk of death due to many etiologies which can be modified with therapies like semaglutide.”
Ozempic, which was approved by the FDA in 2017 for diabetes treatment, later gained attention for its obesity-fighting capabilities with the introduction of Wegovy in 2021. Both drugs contain semaglutide, but are administered in different doses. The hype around these drugs surged when prominent figures like Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, and Amy Schumer publicly acknowledged their use.
The study’s findings suggest that semaglutide could have broader health benefits beyond weight loss and diabetes management, potentially impacting overall longevity and health.
