Is Taking Ozempic Good For Brain Health?
New data on how GLP-1 agonists impact the risk of dementia
Hello, everyone. I have been following the story of Ozempic and other glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists with great interest. These drugs are mostly prescribed to help people lose weight or control their diabetes. Recently, however, I have been seeing studies that say this class of drugs may also reduce the risk of developing dementia. In fact, a recent study out of the U.K. shouts out a 48% reduced risk of developing dementia for people taking GLP-1 agonists.
The question is: Can taking these drugs for weight loss and diabetes also have a positive impact on the brain? And, are there any negative brain health consequences? It’s an important question given the staggering number of people taking these drugs: 12% of Americans, or about 30 million people. Not to mention the even more staggering fact that 70% of American adults are at heightened risk for dementia because they are obese or overweight, and so could potentially be helped by these drugs.
We’ll get into what a GLP-1 agonist drug is, exactly, and what we can learn from the latest studies, below. But first, here are some takeaways about what we know now about GLP-1 agonists and brain health.
Takeaways: How Drugs Like Ozempic Impact Brain Health
Most people take GLP-1 agonists (like Ozempic and Wegovy) for weight loss or to help control diabetes. This may indirectly benefit brain health since obesity and type 2 diabetes are both risk factors for dementia.