Weight loss medications could reduce the risks related to at least 42 diseases

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

Participants were followed for an average duration of 3.5 years. They had an average body mass index above the obesity threshold.

Psychoactive disorders, coagulation disorders, chronic kidney diseases, and bacterial infections are among the conditions for which the risk is diminished with the use of GLP-1RAs.

This is not the first time that GLP-1RAs are associated with potential health benefits: researchers are already studying their utility in areas ranging from dementia to cancer.

GLP-1RA receptors are present 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 benefit and risk profiles 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 are unlikely to reap the same benefits and the risks associated with these medications should not be ignored.

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