Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic could help slow biological aging, researchers say

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic.

The viral weight-loss drug semaglutide, which is available under the commercial names Ozempic and Wegovy, may help slow down the biological aging process, researchers have said.

A number of studies presented on Friday at the European Society of Cardiology conference found that the pricey drug, which was initially marketed as a diabetes treatment, reduced inflammation regardless of whether users lost weight, The Times of London reported.

According to the report, Harlan Krumholz, a professor of medicine at Yale University who edits the Journal of the American College of Cardiology where the studies were published, said that the drug was “somehow quieting inflammation,” adding that the benefit was “broad… there’s not a group that doesn’t seem to be benefiting.”

“Is it a fountain of youth… I would say if you’re improving someone’s cardiometabolic health substantially, then you are putting them in a position to live longer and better,” he continued.

“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,” he added.

Experts also suggested that the drug could be used to treat a number of conditions linked to inflammation, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s, per The Times of London.

The studies were part of the Select trial that tracked 17,604 adults aged 45 years or older for up to five years as they were given a once-weekly injection of 2.4 mg of semaglutide or a placebo.

The participants were overweight or obese and had cardiovascular disease but no history of diabetes.

Researchers found that those who took the drug died at a lower rate from all causes, the BBC reported.

Danish company Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, had already announced headline results from the study in August last year, saying that semaglutide 2.4 mg reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 20% in overweight or obese adults in the trial.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic. It functions by mimicking GLP-1, a hormone produced by the gut that helps balance blood sugar and that makes you feel full.

Weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic come with a risk of severe side effects, including vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain.

Some physicians have warned against buying and taking such drugs without medical supervision.

Vicky Price, an acute physician and president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, previously said that some of the more dangerous potential side effects of weight-loss drugs bought online included “serious, life-threatening complications” such as “inflammation of the pancreas gland and alterations in blood salt levels,” per The Times of London.

Stephen Powis, the National Health Service (NHS) England medical director, also warned people against using such drugs as a “quick fix” to get “beach body ready.”

“We know these new drugs will be a powerful part of our arsenal dealing with obesity, but they should not be abused. Buying medication online without a doctor’s supervision can lead to complications and dangerous consequences,” he said in June.