Weight Loss Drugs Show Promise For Treating Conditions Other Than Obesity

Weight loss drugs have been successful for many people. Science is now showing that these drugs can do much more. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved medications like Wegovy and Ozempic for diabetes and weight loss. Now, they could be helpful in other ways.

What Weight Loss Drugs Can Do

Direct and indirect benefits of weight loss drugs are numerous. Some people lose about 15% of their body weight in a year from using these drugs. Take that weight off, and you have a whole slew of potential additional benefits.

For example, each of the following conditions could improve through the use of weight loss drugs that lead to substantial weight loss:

• Knee osteoarthritis: Less weight means less damage to cartilage. That means fewer knee problems over time.
• Fatty liver: The use of semaglutide can reduce fatty liver risks by 31%. Some patients saw their condition fully resolve in just six months.
• Alzheimer’s: Initial studies show keeping glucose levels normal could minimize some of the risk of Alzheimer’s in patients. There’s no cure for this disease. Prevention is often best.
• Parkinson’s disease: A reduction in the speed of progression of this disease could be evidence.
• Chronic kidney disease: Trials are underway to show how minimizing diabetes could restore or improve kidney function.
• Addiction: Those with addiction may benefit from this drug. It could reduce dependence on alcohol.
• Heart disease: Lower diabetes risk also means lower heart disease risk. Studies are underway for a variety of conditions.
• Lung disease: Yet another potential benefit is treatment for lung disease. Reducing inflammation could reduce lung swelling.

Life saving? Certainly. Weight loss drugs still require a significant amount of research. Not everyone has an underlying condition treated by these medications. Yet, for people with complex health concerns, treatment and prevention from a once-a-week shot could be well worth it.

FDA approval for the treatment of these conditions with weight loss drugs is not yet in place. However, this drug’s overall use will likely continue to spread, which could help people’s health more or keep it that way.