A recent study has suggested that Wegovy and Ozempic, medications containing semaglutide, could have “far-reaching benefits” and potentially slow down the ageing process. These findings have come from multiple studies showing that semaglutide, originally used for treating type 2 diabetes, has also been effective for weight management and reducing the risk of death in overweight individuals with cardiovascular disease. Participants who took semaglutide had lower death rates from all causes, including cardiovascular causes and Covid-19, and experienced improvements in heart failure symptoms.
The research was published in JACC, the American College of Cardiology’s flagship journal, where Professor Harlan M Krumholz from the Yale School of Medicine expressed his views on the potential of semaglutide. He noted that the medication’s benefits could extend beyond what was initially imagined, stating, “Semaglutide, perhaps by improving cardiometabolic health, has far-reaching benefits beyond what we initially imagined.” Krumholz also hinted at the possibility of semaglutide slowing down the ageing process by improving overall health.
The studies presented at the European Society of Cardiology Conference 2024 in London focused on the Select trial, which involved 17,604 overweight or obese individuals with established cardiovascular disease but without diabetes. Participants were given 2.4 mg of semaglutide or a placebo and monitored for over three years. The results showed fewer deaths among those taking semaglutide, with lower rates of cardiovascular-related deaths and other causes. Notably, those using semaglutide were less likely to die from Covid-19 compared to those on the placebo.
Dr Benjamin Scirica, lead author of one of the studies and a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Harvard Medical School, highlighted the significant reduction in non-cardiovascular deaths, particularly from infections. He praised semaglutide for modifying risks associated with overweight and obesity, leading to improved health outcomes. Another expert, Dr Jeremy Samuel Faust, commended the study’s adaptation to include Covid-19 analysis, likening the drug’s impact on reducing Covid-19 mortality rates to a vaccine against indirect effects of pathogens.
The overall findings of these studies suggest that Ozempic and Wegovy, containing semaglutide, could have profound health benefits for individuals with cardiovascular disease and weight management issues. The potential for these medications to not only improve health but also potentially slow down the ageing process has sparked excitement among researchers and healthcare professionals in the field.