Nov 17th 2024

Eight conditions weight-loss jabs might be beneficial for

by Vinood B. Patel

 

Professor in Clinical Biochemistry, University of Westminster

 

The weight-loss jab Wegovy made its debut on June 4 2021. It was the first new weight-loss drug to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration since 2014.

There has been a lot of excitement since the launch. Not only is the drug extremely effective (people lose about 15% of their body weight in a year), it also appears to have many benefits beyond just weight loss.

It’s worth noting that the drug (generic name: semaglutide) was first used to treat diabetes, and indeed is still a blockbuster diabetes drug. So that’s two benefits already. Let’s look at some of the other potential benefits. Here are eight (and the list isn’t exhaustive).

1. Knee osteoarthritis

Knee cartilage is not designed for high stress loads. People who are overweight or obese are at a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis because of the extra stress on their knee joints, with many people eventually requiring knee-replacement surgery.

A recent study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, followed a group of 407 obese people with knee osteoarthritis for 68 weeks. Some of the group received semaglutide and some a placebo. Both groups also received counselling on physical activity and a reduced-calorie diet.

The group that received semaglutide (as opposed to a placebo), reported a huge decrease in pain from 71 to 42 points on a standard pain scale (zero to 100, where a larger number equals more pain). They also reported greater mobility. The same was not experienced in the placebo group.

The reasons for the improvement are probably due to the rapid weight loss combined with the anti-inflammatory properties of semaglutide. It’s not clear, though, if semaglutide would have the same effect on people with knee osteoarthritis who aren’t obese.

2. Fatty liver disease

About one in four people, globally, has fatty liver disease – a long-lasting liver condition that can progresses to cirrhosis (liver scarring). In the late stages, it can be fatal.

Initial clinical trial data has shown very promising results with semaglutide, with a significant reduction in liver fat of 31%. In another clinical study, fatty liver was completely resolved in a third of patients after just 24 weeks.

The next question is whether semaglutide can reverse the more severe forms of fatty liver disease, where scarring has begun. Several studies are underway to test this.

3. Parkinson’s

In studies using brain cells (neurons) in a Petri dish and in mouse models of Parkinson’s, semaglutide has been shown to have beneficial effects on several “pathological hallmarks” of the neurological disease.

There is even a hint that semaglutide may work at slowing the worsening of Parkinson’s in humans. A French study, published earlier this year, using a similar drug (called a GLP-1 receptor agonist), found that the motor skills of people with early-stage Parkinson’s given the treatment showed almost no worsening of symptoms compared with people given a placebo.

We will have to wait for the results of current trials to see if semaglutide has a similar effect.

4. Alzheimer’s

Semaglutide may provide some protection in people with Alzheimer’s as many people with the condition also have diabetes, suggesting that high glucose is involved.

In mouse studies and human organoid models of Alzheimer’s, semaglutide has been shown to reduce deposits of tau and amyloid (the two proteins that accumulate in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s). And a recent “meta-analysis” of seven clinical trials of people with type 2 diabetes but undiagnosed Alzheimer’s, showed that over three years, 40%-70% of patients on semaglutide had a lower risk of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Given that there are currently no cures for Alzheimer’s disease, prevention seems to be the best option, especially for those at higher risk of the disease (that is, those with diabetes and obesity).

5. Chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease is irreversible, so managing the cause is important. The leading cause of kidney failure is diabetes, where high glucose levels damage the small blood vessels in the kidneys.

Two recent randomised clinical trials studying semaglutide for three to five years were completed in 2024 and showed that a biomarker of kidney damage (microalbumin) was lower in patients taking semaglutide. Patients in the semaglutide group also had a lower risk of developing kidney failure (24%) and a lower risk of death (20%) over the study period.

6. Addictions

The GLP-1 system that semaglutide relies on for its effects is known to be involved in the neurobiology of addiction. Indeed, in studies of mice fed alcohol, semaglutide reduced binge drinking in the rodents.

And preliminary data in people with alcohol use disorder given semaglutide or a placebo, found that those on semaglutide had “greater reductions in drinking quantity and heavy drinking” compared with those in the placebo group.

And a new study from Sweden showed that people with alcohol dependence were must less likely to be hospitalised due to physical illness when using semaglutide.

These studies suggest semaglutide may provide an alternative treatment option for people with addiction problems.

7. Heart disease

As glucose-lowering drugs such as semaglutide lower a person’s cardiovascular risk by 14% in people with diabetes, the use of semaglutide has been studied in a range of heart disease conditions.

A clinical study showed that patients with existing cardiovascular disease who are obese or overweight, but without diabetes, taking semaglutide for up to four years showed lower rates of heart attack and stroke over a three and a half year period.

Also, in a study of over 4,000 people, weekly semaglutide significantly reduced heart failure, clogged arteries and death from any cause, compared with a placebo. As a result of these findings, the US Food and Drug Administration approved semaglutide to help prevent life-threatening cardiovascular events in people with existing heart disease who are either overweight or obese.

8. Lung disorders

Because of semaglutide’s wider protective properties, such as its anti-inflammatory features, it has been studied in various lung disorders.

In a mouse model of acute lung injury, where unregulated inflammation occurs leading to high death rates, semaglutide reduced lung swelling, inflammation, white blood cell infiltration and cell death.

A large review of 28 clinical studies showed that semaglutide treatment led to an 18% reduction in the development of respiratory diseases.

A clinical trial is underway to study the protection offered in patients with advanced interstitial lung disease, which comprises a large number of lung disorders (over 200) where there is damage to the tissues between the small air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) and the blood vessels around them, causing inflammation and scarring (fibrosis).

Vinood B. Patel, Professor in Clinical Biochemistry, University of Westminster

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Browse articles by author

More Essays

Extent of prostate cancer treatment harms revealed in new study
by Steffen Rausch
Nov 28th 2024
EXTRACT: "Researchers analysed data from two major prostate cancer prevention trials, linking them with Medicare health records to track outcomes for over 29,000 participants. Among these, nearly 4,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Of this group, 655 underwent surgery to remove the prostate (prostatectomy), 1,056 received radiotherapy, and 2,235 did not receive treatment."
Eight conditions weight-loss jabs might be beneficial for
by Vinood B. Patel
Nov 17th 2024
EXTRACT: "The weight-loss jab Wegovy made its debut on June 4 2021. It was the first new weight-loss drug to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration since 2014. There has been a lot of excitement since the launch. Not only is the drug extremely effective (people lose about 15% of their body weight in a year), it also appears to have many benefits beyond just weight loss. It’s worth noting that the drug (generic name: semaglutide) was first used to treat diabetes, and indeed is still a blockbuster diabetes drug. So that’s two benefits already. Let’s look at some of the other potential benefits. Here are eight (and the list isn’t exhaustive)."
Female Nazi concentration camp guards: the true horror lies in their similarities to ourselves
by Angharad Hampshire
Oct 11th 2024
EXTRACTS: "Between 1939 and 1945, around 10% of concentration camp guards were women, yet these Aufseherinnen (overseers) as they were known, barely feature in Holocaust history or literature." ------ "One little Aufseherin, twenty years old, who had so little knowledge that she said 'excuse me' when walking in front of a prisoner, and who was visibly frightened by the first round of brutality she saw, needed exactly four days to adjust her tone and procedures, although it was totally new to her." ----- " 'The most frightening news brought about by the Holocaust and by what we learned of its perpetrators was not the likelihood that ‘this’ could be done to us, but the idea that we could do it.' ---- The true horror of genocide is found in the similarity between us and the perpetrators, not in the difference."
Walt Disney's Conceptual Creativity
by David W. Galenson
Oct 9th 2024
EXTRACT: "In 1928, Walt Disney's fledgling animation studio lost most of its staff to a rival company, his two latest cartoons had not found a buyer, and he had had to sell his car to meet payroll.  Disney's innovative response changed his industry, and American popular culture."
Jimmy Carter's Century
by Jeffrey Frankel
Sep 26th 2024
EXTRACT: "When it comes to economic policy, Carter is sometimes blamed for excessive regulation, government spending, and runaway inflation. His successor, Ronald Reagan, is often credited with ending the era of “big government.” But the conventional narrative fails to acknowledge that it was Carter who launched the deregulatory push that bore fruit during the Reagan years."
The Wisdom of Warren Buffett
by David W. Galenson
Sep 26th 2024
EXTRACT: "Buffett's status as the Oracle of Omaha stemmed from his ability to develop the wisdom and judgment that transformed him from a good conceptual investor into an exceptional experimental one."
Why Rome Still Matters
by Shlomo Ben Ami
Sep 26th 2024
EXTRACT: "Last year, a social-media trend featured women asking men how often they thought about the Roman Empire. The answer, it seemed, was “very”: many men claimed that the ancient empire crossed their minds weekly or even daily. That did not surprise Mike Duncan, the host of the popular 'History of Rome' podcast, and probably not Tom Holland, who has written multiple bestselling books on the topic. Mary Beard certainly understands the popular fascination, too. Her study of ancient Rome – together with her unpretentious style and brash charisma – has made her what one observer called 'a national treasure, and easily the world’s most famous classicist.' ” ----- "Beard challenges this mythology of whiteness, arguing in her 2016 book SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome that the story of the Roman Empire, which was necessarily ethnically diverse, is 'the history of people of color'. In fact, the book concludes with Emperor Caracalla’s grant of citizenship to all the empire’s subjects. The old Roman aristocracy lost its privileges, because it had not shared them."
The New Threat to Free Speech
by Chris Patten
Sep 22nd 2024
EXTRACTS: "Since the golden age of Athenian democracy, freedom of speech has been viewed as a defining feature of open societies, even as it remains under constant attack. The Athenians believed that the proper functioning of government depended on free and honest exchange of ideas, no matter how controversial or unpopular. In ancient Rome, by contrast, only senators enjoyed anything resembling free speech – and even then, as the statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero learned the hard way, speaking out could have deadly consequences." ----- "In our hyper-connected world, where mobile phones outnumber people and most of the global population has internet access, the decline of traditional news outlets has deepened our dependence on social media. As opaque algorithms shape the news we consume and our perception of reality, the corporations and oligarchs controlling these platforms pose a growing threat to free speech. Although they claim to be its ultimate defenders, their business model, by amplifying disinformation and identity-based grievances for profit, renounces the responsibility that sustains it."
Elon Musk says he’s a ‘cultural Christian’ – why some leading thinkers are embracing Christianity
by Simon McCarthy-Jones
Jul 27th 2024
EXTRACT: "Some conservative intellectuals think the west has already adopted Christianity-lite. Many point to the book Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind (2019), by historian Tom Holland. Holland argues that despite declining religious belief, Christian ideas remain central to western civilisation. He views liberalism – our dominant political philosophy – as secularised Christianity. For him, core western ideas, like universal human rights, equality and dignity, stem from Christianity."
The human virome: why viruses could be as important for good health as gut bacteria
by Samuel J. White and Philippe B. Wilson
Jul 26th 2024
EXTRACTS: "We often hear about the importance of the human microbiome – the vast collection of bacteria and fungi that live on and inside us – when it comes to our health. But there’s another, equally important part of this microbial community that remains far less known: the virome." ----- "Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth, with an estimated 10³¹ viral particles globally and about 10¹³ in each human being." ----- "Understanding the virome could revolutionise medicine and public health."
How being shot might affect Donald Trump’s mental health – and that of millions of others
by Simon McCarthy-Jones
Jul 16th 2024
EXTRACTS: "Trump joins tens of thousands of Americans treated for non-fatal gunshot wounds each year. Such experiences can shatter people’s assumptions that they are living in a safe, understandable and controllable world, leaving them feeling unworthy, unsafe and unsure. As a result, survivors of non-fatal gun violence face increased risks of depression, anxiety, substance use and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can feel overwhelming." ---- ".... some trauma survivors experience post-traumatic growth. They may develop greater empathy, stronger relationships, deeper spirituality and find new meaning in life. After being shot in 1981, the then president Ronald Reagan’s trauma seemed to deepen his sense of empathy and humility. He felt God had spared him for a reason, spurring him to reduce nuclear tensions with the Soviet Union."
Some artificial sweeteners are forever chemicals that could be harming aquatic life
by Matthew Derry and Alan Goddard
Jul 15th 2024
EXTRACTS: "Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose are not metabolised by the human body so they are excreted – this is what makes them low-calorie sugar alternatives. And that’s where the environmental problem begins. Current wastewater treatment plants are unable to remove these sugar mimics, meaning they end up in our environment – in our water, rivers and soil." --- "Forever chemicals are increasingly present in our streams, rivers and oceans – most notably per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that don’t degrade. PFAS are synthetic chemicals found in many consumer products, including skincare products, cosmetics and waterproof clothing. PFAS can remain in the human body for many years, and some present significant risks to our health – potentially causing liver damage, thyroid disease, obesity, infertility and cancer."
The loneliness myth: what our shared stories of feeling alone reveal about why you can’t ‘fix’ this very human experience
by Sam Carr
Jul 3rd 2024
EXTRACTS: "Psychologist, James Hillman had concerns about what I like to call the 'loneliness-as-pathology' "---- "....Hillman went on to argue...: 'If loneliness is an archetypal sense built into us all from the very beginning, then, to be alive is also to be lonely. Loneliness, therefore, will come and go as it chooses in the course of a lifetime, quite apart from our efforts to deny or avoid this reality.' "
How Humanity Lost Control
by J. Bradford DeLong
Jul 3rd 2024
EXTRACT: "How can we be at least 15 times richer than our pre-industrial Agrarian Age predecessors, and yet so unhappy? One explanation is that we are not wired for it: nothing in our heritage or evolutionary past prepared us to deal with a society of more than 150 people. To operate our increasingly complex technologies and advance our prosperity, we somehow must coordinate among more than eight billion people."
Kim-Putin deal: why this is a coded message aimed at China and how it worries Beijing
by Chee Meng and Chi Zhang
Jun 25th 2024
EXTRACTS: "What’s interesting about the entire Russia-North Korea showy display of camaraderie is China’s response: silence. China has misgivings about how things are unfolding, which reports suggest prompted Chinese president Xi Jinping’s call to Putin to call off the latter’s visit to Pyongyang. Obviously, Putin didn’t heed Xi’s request." ----- "The Sino-Korean animosity dates back centuries and took shape when Korea was a vassal state of imperial China. Unfortunately, this animosity extended to modern times when Mao Zedong decided to station Chinese troops in North Korea even after the conclusion of the Korean war, and when Beijing did not aid Pyongyang in its nuclear ambitions. It didn’t help either that the founding leader of North Korea, Kim Il-sung, was suspected of espionage and was nearly executed by the Chinese Communist party in the 1930s."
Ultra-processed foods: here’s how they may affect the way the immune system functions
by Samuel J. White and Philippe B. Wilson
Jun 19th 2024
EXTRACT: "Ultra-processed foods (such as packaged snacks, sugary drinks, instant noodles and ready-to-eat meals) often contain emulsifiers, microparticles (such as titanium dioxide), thickeners, stabilisers, flavours and colourants. While research on humans is limited, studies on mice have shown that these ingredients alter the gut microbiome (the community of microorganisms living in the intestines) in several ways. These many microbiome changes can in turn affect the way the immune system functions."
Can Alzheimer’s really be reversed, as a new documentary claims?
by Rahul Sidhu
Jun 9th 2024
EXTRACT: "Alzheimer’s disease can be split in two subgroups, familial and sporadic. Only 5% of patients with Alzheimer’s are familial, inherited, and 95% of Alzheimer’s patients are sporadic, due to environmental, lifestyle and genetic risk factors. Consequently, the most effective tactic for tackling Alzheimer’s is preventative and living a healthy lifestyle. This has led researchers to study risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s."
Could many dementia cases actually be liver disease?
by Ashwin Dhanda
Mar 8th 2024
EXTRACT: "This study suggests that around 10% of people diagnosed with dementia may instead have underlying silent liver disease with HE causing or contributing to the symptoms – an important diagnosis to make as HE is treatable."
We Already Have Effective Socialized Medicine: Now Universalize It
by Sam Ben-Meir
Jan 28th 2024
EXTRACT: "Health disparity is a powerful weapon in the savage class warfare otherwise known as neoliberalism. (In 2020, the RAND Corporation did a study of the transfer of wealth over the last several decades from the working-class and the middle-class to the top one percent. Their estimate is a staggering $47 trillion – that is how much the “upward redistribution of income” cost American workers between 1975 and 2018.) Neoliberalism is a brutal form of labor suppression, which uses health as a means of maintaining and reproducing a condition in which wealth is constantly being redistributed upwards, and the middle-class is kept in a constant state of fear of sinking into the ranks of the poor. Medical expenses are the leading cause of bankruptcies in America – and that’s according to the American Bankruptcy Institute. The ballooning costs of healthcare serve to maintain a system marked by morally unacceptable health inequity and injustice."
People in the world’s ‘blue zones’ live longer – their diet could hold the key to why
by Justin Roberts. Joseph Lillis and Mark Cortnage
Jan 28th 2024
EXTRACT. "But living longer has also come at a price. We’re now seeing higher rates of chronic and degenerative diseases – with heart disease consistently topping the list. So while we’re fascinated by what may help us live longer, maybe we should be more interested in being healthier for longer. Improving our “healthy life expectancy” remains a global challenge. Interestingly, certain locations around the world have been discovered where there are a high proportion of centenarians who display remarkable physical and mental health. The AKEA study of Sardinia, Italy, as example, identified a “blue zone” (named because it was marked with blue pen),....."