Longevity drug? Study finds taking Ozempic/Wegovy may also benefit brain health

Oxford University analysis finds semaglutide does not negatively impact brain health and may in fact reduce risk of cognitive problems.

A new study has found that semaglutide, better known as Ozempic and Wegovy, does not negatively impact brain health and may even provide benefits for cognition and nicotine dependence. The research, carried out by the University of Oxford and supported by the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre and the Medical Research Council, offers reassuring news for people using the popular obesity and diabetes medication, which has recently faced questions regarding its safety.

The findings revealed that semaglutide is not associated with an increased risk of adverse neurological or psychiatric outcomes, such as dementia, depression, or anxiety; on the contrary, the drug was linked to a lower risk of cognitive problems and nicotine dependence compared with the other medications studied.

My take on this: A year ago, we suggested the potential for semaglutide to be considered a longevity drug, due to its beneficial impact in multiple areas of human biology, and this new study adds further weight to the argument. Beyond promoting weight loss and preventing diabetes, the drug has also demonstrated efficacy in reducing cardiovascular complications in human studies, as well as showing neuroprotective effects in mouse studies, which now appear to be supported by human data in the Oxford study.

The study, published in eClinicalMedicine, analyzed data from over 100 million patient records in the US, including more than 20,000 individuals taking semaglutide. Through a comprehensive analysis, the researchers compared the neurological and psychiatric outcomes of patients on semaglutide with those on three other diabetes medications: sitagliptin, empagliflozin and glipizide.

Specifically, semaglutide was associated with a significantly reduced risk of cognitive deficits and dementia when compared with sitagliptin and glipizide. Moreover, the drug showed a reduced risk of nicotine misuse in most comparisons, although the researchers note that some of the findings lost statistical significance after adjustment for multiple comparisons.

Learn more about this study, its findings and insights from its lead author, Dr Riccardo De Giorgi right HERE.

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