Weight Loss Drugs: Breakthrough Research Uncovers Major Health Implications

The demand for weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy has reached staggering heights, with a recent study revealing that one in eight Americans has used or is currently using these drugs to combat diabetes, heart disease, or obesity.

Known scientifically as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), a class that also includes Mounjaro and Zepbound, these medications have been lauded as “miracle drugs” by media, patients, and even physicians due to their remarkable ability to induce significant weight loss. While the transformative health benefits are well-documented, the broader effects of these drugs on the body’s organ systems have remained largely uncharted territory.

Now, groundbreaking research from scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Veterans Affairs (VA) St. Louis Health Care System has shed new light on these popular treatments. Analyzing data from over 2 million individuals with diabetes, the study uncovered widespread benefits to cognitive and behavioral health—an unexpected revelation that adds to the allure of these medications. However, the findings also came with a sobering caveat: increased risks for pancreatitis, kidney conditions, and other complications, underscoring the need for caution in their use.

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“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,” said the study’s senior author, Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, a clinical epidemiologist and nephrologist who treats patients at the WashU Medicine-affiliated John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital in St. Louis.

“Our approach has allowed us to build a comprehensive atlas mapping the associations of GLP-1RA spanning all organ systems,” he said. “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.”

The drugs, taken once a week by injection, simulate naturally produced hormones that curb appetite and slow digestion, creating longer-lasting satiety. A healthy diet and exercise also assist with weight loss.

For the study, WashU Medicine researchers analyzed de-identified medical records in a database maintained by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. They compared 175 health outcomes between veterans who took GLP-1RA drugs to treat their diabetes and those who took more traditional medications sold under brand names such as Jardiance, Glipizide and Januvia.

Altogether, the dataset examined more than 2 million veterans who were treated for diabetes from Oct. 1, 2017, to Dec. 31, 2023. Patients included people of diverse ages, races and sexes.