The anti-ageing Ozempic effect: How weight loss jabs could help you live longer ‘slashing your risk of dying young'

The Sun

15 hours ago

WEIGHT loss, warding off dementia, 'curing' diabetes and now… anti-ageing powers?
Is there anything the so-called fat jabs can't do?
While a medicine that reverses the clock would be a miracle, we're not quite there, yet.
But scientists hope the 'game-changing miracle' weight loss injections like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, could be the next best thing, helping us live longer.
Just last week, a study found that semaglutide - the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy - could "significantly" slash the risk of the brain-robbing disease dementia, in people with type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, studied 1.7million American patients with type 2 diabetes over three years.
Originally designed to treat type 2 diabetes, the jabs mimic a gut hormone called GLP-1.
This leads to a reduction in appetite and regulates blood sugar levels.
Now, they are prescribed to help melt fat away, and are taking the nation's waistline by storm.
And new research is showing that these jabs could reduce the risk of various deadly diseases, from heart disease to Alzheimer's and cancer.
They could also prevent deaths from these conditions, according to results of the SELECT trial, published in 2023.
Funded by Ozempic and Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk, it tracked 17,600 people either given the jab, or a placebo, for three years.
Weight Loss Jabs - Pros vs Cons
All of the volunteers taking part were overweight, over the age of 45 and had been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.
During the trial, 833 people died. But those who were on fat jabs were 19 per cent less likely to die of any cause, and 15 per cent less likely to die a heart-related death.
Levels of inflammation in the body were also reduced, regardless of how much weight was lost.
This is one of the key theories behind why fat jabs may have additional benefits.
Inflammation, triggered by obesity and associated lifestyle choices, is often what drives heart disease and other major causes of death.
'We know that chronic inflammation speeds up ageing,' Dr Amos Ogunkoya, a GP in London, tells Sun Health.
'It causes DNA damage - and that's the reason diabetes and obesity increase the risk of certain cancers and tissue damage.
'The more inflammation you have, the more DNA damage you have.'
Professor Rameen Shakur, a molecular biologist and director of Brighton Integrative Genomics Unit, says: 'We do know that turning down chronic systemic inflammation helps in healthy longevity.'
But he adds: 'Ageing is a complicated soup of systems and signals which is, over time, weakening and decaying the cells that keep our body fit and well.
'It's a multi-dimensional complex, not one thing.
'Ageing involves free radicals, telomeres and general decay. If I have Botox, I won't have wrinkles, but it won't positively affect my heart.
'There's no study that says, 'I took Ozempic and now I'm Benjamin Button'.
'We don't understand if it 'reverses the clock'. But it has additional effects because it reduces calories [eaten].'
What is certain though is that like all medicines, weight loss jabs do come with a range of side effects, most commonly nausea, diarrhoea and constipation.
But there are also more serious risks, including pancreatitis and gastroparesis.
So while there are risks, for those Brits who are overweight and either already living with, or en route to a chronic illness that could shorten their life, doctors agree these jabs have huge potential to improve lives.
So what does the science say? Here's how Ozempic could extend your life…
HEART OF IT
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LOSING weight has huge benefits on the heart.
'Living with excess weight or obesity can increase the chances of developing cardiovascular disease,' Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation and consultant cardiologist, tells Sun Health.
'The SELECT trial, which involved people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, found that semaglutide can reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, or having a heart attack or stroke by around 20 per cent.
'Plus, it was found that semaglutide can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, even if they didn't lose weight.
'This suggests that the medicines are having other positive effects, such as where fat is stored, and regulation of blood sugar, blood pressure and inflammation.'
Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are all associated with obesity, and have a negative impact on the heart and blood vessels.
THE BIG C
OBESITY is the second most common cause of cancer in the UK, behind smoking.
But scientists believe the jabs' influence on inflammation, hormones and chemicals in the blood might add extra protection against cancer.
One study compared 3,200 patients who lost weight with GLP-1 injections with 3,200 who had surgery.
The jabs were 41 per cent more effective at preventing cancer, the researchers from Israel reported in eClinicalMedicine.
Dr Matthew Harris, of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, added: 'Injectable weight loss medications give a genuinely promising possible option for cancer prevention in the future.'
Another study found diabetics on GLP-1 drugs were less likely to get 13 types of cancer associated with obesity over 15 years, from pancreatic to bowel and womb, than those on other meds.
Everything you need to know about fat jabs
Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases.
Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK.
Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market.
Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight.
They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high.
Can I get them?
NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics.
Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure.
GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss.
Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk.
Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health.
Are there any risks?
Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.'
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health.
Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines.
MIND MATTERS
STUDIES suggest semaglutide may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's - the most common form of dementia and the leading cause of death in the UK.
One, published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia, found that type 2 diabetics had a 40 to 70 per cent reduced risk of Alzheimer's when they were on semaglutide compared to other diabetic drugs.
Another, published in JAMA Neurology, showed a 33 per cent lower risk.
The researchers said it's not clear how the drugs are protecting the brain, but inflammation is thought to play a major role in the development of Alzheimer's.
Dr Amos says: 'Inflammation causes damage to neurons (in the brain).
'It's also quite common for people's Alzheimer's or their cognitive decline to get worse when they're ill because inflammation markers are high.'
A study by Imperial College London also showed that liraglutide (Saxenda) could reduce brain shrinkage in patients already with Alzheimer's, by 50 per cent.
BUT WHAT ABOUT 'OZEMPIC FACE'?
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WHILE Ozempic-like jabs might have internal anti-ageing benefits, there's a danger they could make you look older.
'' Ozempic face ' is a loss of volume in the face, which can visually make wrinkles look worse,' warns Dr Amos.
'When you lose fat in your face, and your skin doesn't follow, you can look saggy and older.'
Rapid weight loss also means a loss in muscle mass, which helps define a figure and reduce loose skin.
It's also important the more you age to reduce frailty, and protect bones.
Dr Amos recommends weight training while on weight loss jabs.
He says: 'Lots of people are getting Ozempic privately and they're not aware of the side effects of muscle loss and not training or changing their lifestyle.'
'I've slashed my risk of dying young thanks to fat jabs'
FOR Ursula Hirschkorn, 53, the results of Mounjaro have been 'incredible' for her health.
The mum-of-four, from London, saw Mounjaro as her 'best bet' of a future without chronic illness, knowing for years that her weight was a key risk factor.
She tells Sun Health: 'I've got high cholesterol, I had high sugars, I had high blood pressure, and I've got a dementia risk because my mother and my grandmother both had vascular dementia, which is related to weight.
'I wanted to reduce my risk but knew the only way I could do that is to lose weight.
"I had gestational diabetes with my children which means that I'm 50 per cent more likely to develop diabetes over 50.'
Ursula had tried to lose weight but it was always the same story since she began yo-yo dieting as a teenager.
'I have lost weight a couple of times in the past naturally but every time I've put it back on again because the minute I stopped dieting I just started eating again,' she said.
Her tipping point came when her husband Mike, 49, a trainee therapist, lost 4st 7lbs with Mounjaro.
Inspired—and spurred by her own health risks—the freelance content strategist started taking it in February this year.
The side effects, particularly constipation, were 'debilitating', she says.
She stopped the jabs altogether but determined not to give up, she switched providers, landing with VOY, which offers additional support.
Ursula eased back onto Manjaro, and this time, her body adjusted and she suffered no side effects.
She is now on a 7.5 mg dose and has lost 15kg (nearly two stone) so far.
'I'm losing weight quite slowly, but it's the health benefits I'm noticing,' she says.
'I had blood tests at the beginning of the year which showed that I'd actually gone into diabetic range. But after Mounjaro, my blood sugar is completely back to normal, it's not even pre-diabetic.
'I was put on blood pressure tablets but since losing weight, I've been able to come off those.
'I had very high cholesterol and that has fallen a little bit, but I think it's more difficult to tackle.'
Ursula has even become a runner with the help of the NHS Couch to 5K app, and gives tips to others on her TikTok page (@fatgirlswims6)
'When I started, I couldn't have run for a minute without having to stop, sweating and being out of puff. I found walking up the stairs difficult.
'I just recently ran 6km without stopping and felt amazing.
'I go to the gym all the time and I just feel physically so much better, which may be why my mental health has also improved.
'We were on holiday in Malaysia last week and I was able to do active things I couldn't have before, like walking to the top of temples.
'It's amazing.'