Weight Loss Job Wegovi made his debut. June 4, 2021. It was the primary recent weight reduction drug to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration since 2014.
There has been numerous excitement because the launch. Not only is the drug highly effective (people lose About 15% of their body weight in a yr), has many advantages beyond weight reduction.
It is price noting that the drug (generic name: semaglutide) was first used to treat diabetes, and the truth is remains to be a blockbuster diabetes drug. So that's two advantages already. Let's have a look at another potential advantages. Here are eight (and the list will not be exhaustive).
1. Osteoarthritis of the knee
The knee cartilage will not be designed for prime tensile loads. People who’re obese or obese are at a better risk of developing osteoarthritis attributable to 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 gaggle 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 weight-reduction plan.
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 attributable to the rapid weight reduction combined with the anti-inflammatory properties of semaglutide. It's unclear, though, if semaglutide may 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 may well 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 useful effects on several “pathological hallmarks” of the neurological disease.
There is even a touch that semaglutide may match to decelerate Parkinson's disease in humans. A French Study, Published earlier this year.Using an analogous 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 analogous 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 comprises more glucose.
In the mouse study And in human organoid models of Alzheimer's, semaglutide has been shown to scale back the deposits of tau and amyloid (two proteins that accumulate within the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's). 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’s currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, prevention appears to be the very best 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 is crucial to administer the cause. The leading explanation 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%) in the course of the study period.
6. Addictions
The GLP-1 system on which semaglutide relies for its effects is thought 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 more likely 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 comparable to 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 obese, 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 obese or obese.
8. Diseases of the lungs
Due to semaglutide's broad protective properties, comparable to its anti-inflammatory properties, it has been studied in various lung diseases.
In one Mouse model In acute lung injury, where there’s 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 protection offered in patients with advanced interstitial lung disease continues to be studied, which incorporates numerous lung diseases (over 200) where the small air sacs (alveoli) within the lungs and around The tissues across the blood vessels are damaged. They cause inflammation and scarring (fibrosis).