Weight loss medications could reduce the risk of 42 diseases, according to a study

Research conducted by Washington University in St. Louis has revealed that certain weight management medications are linked to a 42% reduction in the risk of 42 diseases in people with diabetes.

Researchers analyzed data from 215,970 diabetics who received these medications in addition to standard treatments (hypoglycemics), and from 1,203,097 diabetics using only standard care.

Psychotic disorders, coagulation disorders, chronic kidney diseases, and bacterial infections are among the conditions for which the risk is reduced with the use of GLP-1RA, receptors found in weight loss medications such as Saxenda, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.

“We only studied diabetics, but there is no biological or clinical reason to think that the profiles of benefits and risks would be very different in non-diabetics,” said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, co-author of the study.

Dr. Al-Aly emphasized that people without obesity would likely not benefit from the same advantages and that the risks associated with these medications should not be ignored.

Indeed, the study identified a 19% increase in the risk of 19 pathologies, including arthritic disorders (partly related to muscle mass loss), abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, and kidney stones.