Waste drugs could slow biological aging: researchers

The viral weight-loss drug semaglutide, which is available under the commercial names Ozempic and Wegovy, may slow the biological aging process, researchers say.

A series of studies presented Friday at the European Society of Cardiology congress found that the expensive drug, initially marketed as a treatment for diabetes, reduced inflammation regardless of whether users lost weight, The Times of London reported.

According to the report, Harlan Krumholz, a professor of medicine at Yale University and editor of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, where the studies were published, said the drug “somehow suppressed inflammation.” He added that the benefit was “broad … there’s no group that doesn’t seem to benefit.”

“Is it a fountain of youth… I would say that if you substantially improve someone’s cardiometabolic health, you enable them to live longer and better,” he continued.

“It’s not just about preventing heart attacks. These are health promoters. I wouldn’t be surprised if improving people’s health in this way actually slows the aging process,” he added.

According to The Times of London, experts also suggest the drug could be used to treat a number of conditions linked to inflammation, including cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

The studies were part of the Select study, which followed 17,604 adults aged 45 or older for up to five years. They received a once-weekly injection of 2.4 mg semaglutide or a placebo.

The participants were overweight or obese and had cardiovascular disease, but had no history of diabetes.

According to the BBC, researchers found that people who took the drug were less likely to die from any cause.

Danish company Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, announced the main results of the study in August last year, stating that semaglutide 2.4 mg reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by 20% in overweight or obese adults in the study.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic. It works by mimicking GLP-1, a hormone produced by the gut that helps balance blood sugar levels and makes you feel full.

Weight loss drugs like Ozempic come with serious side effects, such as vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain.

Some doctors warn against purchasing and using such drugs without medical supervision.

Vicky Price, an acute care physician and incoming president of the Society for Acute Medicine, previously said that some of the most dangerous potential side effects of weight loss drugs bought online include “serious, life-threatening complications” such as “inflammation of the pancreas and changes in blood salt levels,” according to The Times of London.

Stephen Powis, medical director of the National Health Service (NHS) in England, also warned people against using such drugs as a “quick fix” to be “beach ready”.

“We know that these new drugs will be a powerful part of our arsenal in the fight against obesity, but they should not be abused. Buying drugs online without a doctor’s supervision can lead to complications and dangerous consequences,” he said in June.