New research suggests diabetes drug could slow ageing
Semaglutide, a drug commonly prescribed under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy for treating Type 2 diabetes and obesity, may also have the potential to slow down the ageing process, according to new research.
Professor Harlan Krumholz from Yale School of Medicine described the findings as revealing “far-reaching benefits beyond what we initially imagined” following the release of several studies at the European Society of Cardiology Conference 2024.
The studies indicate that semaglutide could treat a broad range of illnesses associated with ageing, including heart failure, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and even cancer.
The new data has been published in several medical journals, including the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), which Professor Krumholz edits. “These groundbreaking medications are poised to revolutionise cardiovascular care and could dramatically enhance cardiovascular health,” he said.
The research is part of the Select trial, which tracked over 17,600 participants aged 45 or older, all of whom were living with obesity or overweight, and had cardiovascular disease but not diabetes. Participants were administered either 2.4 mg of semaglutide or a placebo for more than three years.
The findings revealed that those who took semaglutide had a lower mortality rate from all causes, including cardiovascular issues and COVID-19. Although users of the drug were just as likely to contract COVID-19, they were less likely to die from it, with a 2.6 per cent death rate among semaglutide users compared to 3.1 per cent for those on the placebo.
In addition, the drug reduced major adverse cardiovascular events consistently across both sexes and improved heart failure symptoms while reducing inflammation levels in the body, regardless of weight loss.
Doctor Benjamin Scirica, the lead author of one of the studies and a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Harvard Medical School, noted that the findings “reinforce that overweight and obesity increase the risk of death due to many etiologies” but that these risks “can be modified with potent incretin-based therapies like semaglutide.”
Semaglutide is available by prescription through the NHS and works by suppressing appetite, mimicking the hormone GLP-1 to make users feel fuller and less hungry. Despite its benefits, experts caution that the drug is not a quick fix or a substitute for a healthy diet and regular exercise. It should only be used under medical supervision due to potential side effects, which include nausea, upset stomach, bloating, and gas.