Weight Loss Job Wegovi made his debut. June 4, 2021. It was the primary latest weight reduction drug to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration since 2014.
There has been a whole lot of excitement because the launch. Not only is the drug highly effective (people lose About 15% of their body weight in a 12 months), has many advantages beyond weight reduction.
It's value noting that the drug (generic name: semaglutide) was first used to treat diabetes, and actually it continues to be used to treat diabetes. is a blockbuster drug. So that's two advantages already. Let's have a look at another potential advantages. Here are eight (and the list shouldn’t be exhaustive).
1. Osteoarthritis of the knee
The knee cartilage shouldn’t be designed for top tensile loads. People who’re chubby or obese are at the next risk of developing osteoarthritis because of the additional stress placed on their knee joints, with many eventually needing knee alternative surgery.
Oh A recent studyPublished within the New England Journal of Medicine, followed a bunch of 407 obese individuals with knee osteoarthritis for 68 weeks. Some of the group received semaglutide and a few received a placebo. Both groups also received counseling about physical activity and a low-calorie food regimen.
The group that received semaglutide (versus placebo) reported a greater reduction in pain, starting from 71 to 42 points on a standardized pain scale (from zero to 100, where higher numbers equal more pain). . They also reported more mobility. This was not the case within the placebo group.
The reasons for the development are likely because of the rapid weight reduction combined with the anti-inflammatory properties of semaglutide. It's unclear, though, if semaglutide could have the identical effect on individuals with knee osteoarthritis who aren't obese.
2. Fatty liver disease
about One of four peopleglobally, is fatty liver disease – a chronic liver condition that may progress to cirrhosis (liver scarring). In the ultimate stages, it could possibly be fatal.
Preliminary clinical trial data have shown very promising results with semaglutide. Significant reduction in liver fat by 31%. In one other clinical study, fatty liver was completely resolved One-third of patients After only 24 weeks.
The next query is whether or not semaglutide can reverse more severe types of fatty liver disease, where scarring has begun. Multiple studies Continue to check it.
3. Parkinson's
In a study using brain cells (neurons) in a petri dish Mouse model In Parkinson's, semaglutide has been shown to have helpful effects on several “pathological hallmarks” of the neurological disease.
There is even a touch that semaglutide may go to decelerate Parkinson's disease in humans. A French Study, Published earlier this year.Using an identical drug (called a GLP-1 receptor agonist), it was found that after treatment for early-stage Parkinson's, those with motor skills had almost no worsening of symptoms in comparison with those without. got a placebo.
Will need to wait for the outcomes. Current trials to see if semaglutide has an identical effect.
4. Alzheimer's
Semaglutide may offer some protection in individuals with Alzheimer's because many individuals with the condition even have diabetes, suggesting that it incorporates more glucose.
In the mouse study And in human organoid models of Alzheimer's, semaglutide inhibits tau and amyloid (two proteins that accumulate within the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's). Deposits have been shown to diminish. And A A recent “meta-analysis” of seven clinical trials Among individuals with type 2 diabetes but undiagnosed Alzheimer's, it showed that over three years, 40%-70% of semaglutide patients had a reduced risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Given that there may be currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, prevention appears to be the perfect option, especially for those at high risk for the disease (ie, those with diabetes and obesity).
5. Chronic kidney disease
Chronic kidney disease is irreversible, so it can be crucial to administer the cause. The leading reason for kidney failure is diabetes, where high glucose levels damage the small blood vessels within the kidneys.
two Recent Randomized clinical trials In 2024, a three- to five-year study of semaglutide was accomplished and showed that there was a biomarker of kidney damage (microalbumin). Decreased in patients taking semaglutide. Patients within the semaglutide group also had one. Low risk A lower risk of kidney failure (24%) and death (20%) through the study period.
6. Addictions
The GLP-1 system on which semaglutide relies for its effects is understood to be involved within the neurobiology of addiction. Indeed, in a study by The mice drank the winesemaglutide reduced binge drinking in rats.
And Preliminary data In individuals with alcohol use disorder given semaglutide or a placebo, it was found that those within the semaglutide group had “significant reductions in drinking volume and binge drinking” in comparison with those within the placebo group.
And A A new study Sweden shows that folks with alcohol dependence are less prone to be hospitalized for physical illness when using semaglutide.
These studies suggest that semaglutide may provide an alternate treatment option for individuals with addiction problems.
7. Heart disease
As glucose-lowering drugs resembling semaglutide reduce an individual's cardiovascular risk Up to 14 percent in people with diabetesthe usage of semaglutide has been studied in a variety of cardiovascular diseases.
Oh Medical studies It appears that patients with existing heart disease who’re obese or chubby, but without diabetes, taking semaglutide for 4 years showed a lower rate of heart attack and stroke over a three-and-a-half-year period.
Also, in a single A study of over 4,000 peopleweekly semaglutide significantly reduced heart failure, blocked arteries, and death from any cause compared with placebo. As a results of these findings, the US Food and Drug Administration approved semaglutide to assist prevent fatal cardiovascular events in individuals with existing heart disease who’re either chubby or obese.
8. Diseases of the lungs
Due to semaglutide's broad protective properties, resembling its anti-inflammatory properties, it has been studied in various lung diseases.
In one Mouse model In acute lung injury, where there may be uncontrolled inflammation resulting in high mortality, semaglutide reduces lung inflammation, inflammation, white blood cell infiltration and cell death.
Oh Great review 28 Clinical studies showed that treatment with semaglutide reduced the event of respiratory diseases by 18%.
Oh Clinical trial The safety offered in patients with advanced interstitial lung disease is ongoing, including lung disease. consists of a giant number (greater than 200) of tissue where the small air sacs (alveoli) within the lungs and the encircling blood vessels Has been damaged. They cause inflammation and scarring (fibrosis).