Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are called “miracle drugs” by some pharmacists for their ability to help those with diabetes to lose weight.
The drugs are self-injected once a week and help simulate hormones that slow digestion and curb appetite. While physicians are seeing some positive health effects from these drugs, there is still little data on how they may impact the body in the long run. However, a new study published in the journal Nature Medicine, may help shed light on this.
“Given the drugs’ newness and skyrocketing popularity, it is important to systematically examine their effects on all body systems, leaving no stone unturned, to understand what they do and what they don’t do,” said Ziyad Al-Aly, M.D., a clinical epidemiologist and nephrologist who treats patients at the WashU Medicine-affiliated John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital in St. Louis, and lead author of the study in a press release.
