\n The rise of Ozempic: how surprise discoveries and lizard venom led to a new class of weight-loss drugs<\/a><\/p>\n
Where the evidence is already solid<\/p>\n
Beyond diabetes and obesity, GLP-1 drugs have now earned regulatory approval in several new areas. <\/p>\n
A trial of more than 17,000 people<\/a> found semaglutide (the active drug in Ozempic\/Wegovy) cut the risk of serious heart attacks and strokes by 20%, even in people without diabetes. <\/p>\n In a trial of almost 1,200 patients<\/a>, semaglutide outperformed a placebo in treating a type of advanced liver disease. <\/p>\n Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) has also been shown to significantly reduce the severity of sleep apnoea<\/a>, mostly because weight loss puts less pressure on the airways.<\/p>\n GLP-1s and cancer: promising but no clinical trial evidence<\/p>\n Obesity is a risk factor for at least 13 cancers<\/a>, so reducing weight using GLP-1 drugs can also be expected to limit cancer risk. This was shown in a study<\/a> of 86,000 adults with obesity. It found GLP-1 users had a 17% lower cancer risk. <\/p>\n New data<\/a> suggests GLP-1 users were also less likely to see cancer spread to other organs, but this work is yet to be verified by other researchers. The anti-inflammatory effects of these drugs, which appear to work independently of weight loss, may be playing a role.<\/p>\n However, there have not yet been any well-controlled clinical trials that establish the link between GLP-1 drugs and preventing cancer.<\/p>\n Endometriosis: early but promising signs<\/p>\n Endometriosis affects roughly one in ten women<\/a> of reproductive age. This is where tissue similar to the womb lining grows outside the uterus.<\/p>\n Because GLP-1 receptors are also present in reproductive tissue, these medications have shown promise in improving symptoms, with a survey of 161 women<\/a> supporting this. <\/p>\n But, similar to cancer, there are no randomised human trials. <\/p>\n While these medications show promise for a number of conditions, the evidence base is still emerging. Addiction and smoking<\/p>\n GLP-1 receptors are concentrated in the brain\u2019s reward pathways. These same circuits drive cravings for alcohol, nicotine and drugs. <\/p>\n An analysis of more than 1.3 million people<\/a> found GLP-1 users had significantly lower rates of opioid overdose and alcohol intoxication. <\/p>\n A randomised trial<\/a> found semaglutide reduced drinking in people with alcohol use disorder. <\/p>\n Early quit-smoking trials<\/a> are encouraging, too.<\/p>\n The brain: the least clear picture for GLP-1 therapy<\/p>\n This is where the story gets genuinely complicated. <\/p>\n There are real biological reasons GLP-1 drugs could help with neurodegeneration and mental ill-health. They reduce brain inflammation, interact with dopamine (the brain\u2019s motivation chemical) and support the gut-brain axis (the communication network that carries signals to and from the gut and brain). <\/p>\n However, current clinical evidence is conflicting.<\/p>\n For Alzheimer\u2019s disease, researchers gave 204 participants<\/a> with mild to moderate disease liraglutide (a GLP-1 that pre-dated Ozempic) and measured how much brain volume they lost. Those taking the drug showed significantly less shrinkage in key brain regions, including their temporal lobe and overall grey matter.<\/p>\n However, a large phase 3 trial<\/a> of oral semaglutide found it wasn\u2019t effective at slowing clinical disease progression.<\/p>\n Similarly, exenatide (another earlier GLP-1) showed no evidence for disease modification in a phase 3 Parkinson\u2019s disease trial<\/a>. <\/p>\n For mental health, current evidence is also mixed. Meta-analyses<\/a> and large cohort studies<\/a> show significant reductions in depression and anxiety scores among GLP-1 users. <\/p>\n But a separate observational study<\/a> found people on these drugs had almost double the risk of major depression. <\/p>\n Another paper<\/a> found that people with a genetic tendency toward low dopamine levels may face higher risk of depression and suicidal thoughts on these medications.<\/p>\n There are also case reports<\/a> of serious psychiatric episodes appearing within weeks of starting treatment.<\/p>\n We don\u2019t yet know who these drugs will help, and who they could seriously harm.<\/p>\n Read more: What we need to be cautious about<\/p>\n Crucially, most of the new uses for these medications haven\u2019t yet been tested in proper clinical trials. Large real-world studies are useful, but they can\u2019t rule out crucial confounding factors. This means the effects may be due to external influences.<\/p>\n For example, most major GLP-1 trials have enrolled people with obesity or diabetes. People with mental health conditions, neurodegenerative diseases, or addiction were largely excluded. Yet, these are the very populations now being considered for treatment. <\/p>\n Long-term effects are also unknown. A study of more than 200,000 patients<\/a> found a 2\u20132.5 times higher risk of drug-induced pancreatitis (dangerous inflammation of the pancreas). <\/p>\n Rapid weight loss also strips lean muscle, not just fat, affecting strength and metabolism, especially in older adults. <\/p>\n Studies have also indicated these medications carry a risk for thyroid cancer<\/a>, prompting a warning on drug labels, but evidence is highly conflicting<\/a>. <\/p>\n Time and further research will tell, but there are genuine safety concerns associated with the widespread use of these medications. <\/p>\n So, while the science here is genuinely exciting, we should continue to approach with informed caution.<\/p>\n![\"Close](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/file-20260602-57-w4frjp.jpg\")
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\n Haberdoedas\/Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n
\n Taking a drug like Ozempic? What you need to know about risks of suicidal thoughts and contraception failure<\/a><\/p>\n