Latest news with #DiabetesObesityMetabolism
Medical News Today
12-07-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
Why do some people have better weight loss results with Ozempic or Wegovy?
Research on weight loss medications, particularly glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), and why people experience varying results is study helped identify multiple components that may affect successful weight loss among people using researchers found that taking the medication for longer and starting on semaglutide rather than other GLP-1RA options produced more successful weight loss results.A popular group of weight loss medications is glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), which include the likes of Ozempic and Wegovy — medications that are used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.A study recently published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism explored weight fluctuations among participants after taking GLP-1RAs. The results suggest that factors like taking GLP-1RAs longer, having greater accumulated exposure to GLP-1RAs, using semaglutide, and not having diabetes may make it more likely for some people to experience successful weight loss from GLP-1RA impacts the effectiveness of GLP-1RAs?This research involved a total of 679 participants and was a retrospective cohort study. All participants were overweight or obese, and this was determined by body mass index (BMI). Some participants also had type 2 diabetes. All participants had at least three months' worth of follow-up and at least three noted weight measurements during the had data from participants' follow-up visits, including factors like body composition and measurements of liver and kidney function. Their data looked at treatment with seven different GLP-1RAs, including semaglutide, lixisenatide, and examined weight fluctuation among participants and divided participants into three groups: successfully losing weight, staying the same weight, or regaining weight. In their analyses, they then further classified participants as having successful or unsuccessful weight reduction. The unsuccessful category included both weight regain and staying the same did their analyses at three months, six months, and then at one year. The average age of participants was thirty-seven years old, and about 21% of participants had who had been on GLP-1RAs for longer were more likely to experience successful weight reduction at six and twelve months. At the three and six-month marks, participants who experienced successful weight reduction were also less likely to have diabetes and more likely to start their treatment on the three-month follow-up, participants in the weight regain group also had higher estimated glomerular filtration rates, which measures kidney function. This was also true when looking at just participants with prediabetes. The authors note that people with obesity can experience these higher filtration rates, which can then lead to worse kidney also observed that the group that remained stable had higher fasting plasma glucose levels than the other groups and worse beta cell function and insulin resistance than participants who successfully lost do some people lose more weight on GLP-1s?In their univariate logistic regression analysis, the researchers identified several factors that may be related to successful weight loss. These included longer time on GLP-1RA treatment, semaglutide use, lower blood sugar levels, and a higher percentage of body fat. They also observed that greater Homeostasis Model Assessment of β-Cell Function levels, which helps to measure beta cell function in the pancreas and insulin resistance, was associated with successful declines in weight. For women, having a lower skeletal muscle mass was also associated with successful weight adjusting for age, sex, and BMI, the researchers found that the longer people used GLP-1RAs, the more they lost weight successfully at all the follow-up time points. At three and six months, starting semaglutide, compared to other GLP-1RAs, was linked to successful weight men, having a body fat percentage greater than 30% was associated with successful weight reduction at three months, but this was not the case for women. At three months, not having diabetes and hemoglobin A1C levels were linked to successful weight addition to these factors, researchers also observed some non-linear associations. For example, some measurements of muscle mass and basal metabolic rate had a reversed J-shaped association with successful weight analyses also revealed that higher accumulated exposure of semaglutide or liraglutide were both associated with successful weight reduction. At three months, liraglutide and semaglutide users with successful weight reduction had higher fasting plasma glucose levels. For men on semaglutide, having a greater percentage of body fat was associated with successful weight loss at a six-month follow-up. Study limitationsThis study does have benefits and potential limitations. Paunel Vukasinov, MD, a dual board-certified Internist and Obesity Medicine Specialist with Medical Offices of Manhattan and contributor to who was not involved in the research, noted the following to Medical News Today:'This study offers helpful information about the differences in weight loss results for patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). Clinical trials have shown that GLP-1RAs work well, but this study points out the varied responses in everyday clinical settings. It also tries to find the reasons behind this variability.''However, the lack of randomization, possible confounding factors, and the single-center design do weaken the conclusions. Still, it addresses an important clinical question: why do some patients do well on GLP-1RAs while others stop losing weight or regain it? It encourages us to move toward more personalized obesity care.'— Paunel Vukasinov, MDThis study was conducted among Chinese participants receiving treatment at a single weight loss clinic. Data from other countries may be helpful in future note that only 112 participants had a follow-up assessment at the one-year mark. They also note there was a lack of record for some possible confounding factors and that they weren't able to assess how lifestyle interventions throughout the follow-up could have affected outcomes. Another limiting factor was that 'longitudinal data for body composition was not systematically collected and analyzed at the follow-ups.'Does stopping medication affect results?Treatment discontinuation did happen, which meant differences in medication looking specifically at the use of semaglutide and liraglutide in the subgroup analyses, researchers only analyzed the data from the three-month and six-month follow-ups. They were also only able to look at accumulated exposure for two types of without type 2 diabetes had more limited access to GLP-1RAs, and this could have influenced the study's results. One author also noted conflicts of Raines, DO, an osteopathic physician specializing in family medicine and American Osteopathic Association member, who was also not involved in the study, noted the following limits of this study to Medical News Today:'It's important to note the limitations, namely, the small sample size and the even smaller number of participants who continued through the full 12-month follow-up period…This paper does not explore the effects of discontinuation, a crucial aspect given evidence showing significant weight regain in many individuals once GLP-1RAs are stopped, even with continued lifestyle modifications. Nor does it include tirzepatide, which, while not solely a GLP-1RA, currently shows even more promising data for weight loss than semaglutide in existing trials.'More research is required to examine some of the components of the study, such as the differences in weight loss for people with diabetes compared to those without diabetes. More research on how kidney function plays into everything may also be loss may need a personalized approachThe authors of this study suggest that data from this study could help make the use of GLP-1RAs more might help improve the success related to these medications. Kais Rona, MD, a bariatric surgeon of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, who was also not involved in the study, noted the following:'Ultimately, this study supports a personalized approach to the use of GLP-1RA medications. One that identifies important physiologic markers prior to the initiation of the treatment regimen, monitors patient response over time, and focuses on long-term success.'The research also highlights the importance of careful clinical oversight when people use GLP-1RAs. 'Many patients are currently receiving these medications from providers outside their primary care home, often without comprehensive management or long-term planning. This raises concerns about suboptimal outcomes and unintended side effects…What we now need are more long-term studies, particularly focused on sustained outcomes, strategies for maintenance after discontinuation, and optimizing individualized care,' Raines said.
Fox News
19-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Weight-loss medications may also benefit common medical problem, study finds
Weight-loss medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, which have gained popularity for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity, have been shown to have the surprising secondary benefit of reducing alcohol intake. A team of international researchers from Ireland and Saudi Arabia followed 262 adult patients with obesity who started taking two GLP-1 medications: liraglutide or semaglutide. Among the regular drinkers, weekly alcohol intake decreased by 68%, from approximately 23 units of alcohol to around 8 units. The findings were recently published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism and were also presented last week at the European Congress on Obesity in Spain. GLP-1 agonists mimic a hormone called GLP-1, which is released from the gastrointestinal system after eating, according to study co-author Carel Le Roux, a professor at University College Dublin. These medications activate GLP-1 receptors in the brain, decreasing the sense of "reward" people feel after eating or drinking, eventually leading to reduced cravings for both food and alcohol, he told Fox News Digital. "It is this commonality of function that suggests the GLP-1 receptors in the brain may be a therapeutic target for not just the disease of obesity, but also for alcohol use disorder," the professor said. Before the participants started the weight-loss drugs, they self-reported their weekly alcohol intake, then were categorized as non-drinkers, rare drinkers or regular drinkers. Approximately 72% had at least two follow-up visits and 68% reported regular alcohol consumption. After starting the weight-loss medications, the participants' weekly average alcohol intake decreased by almost two-thirds overall — from approximately 11 units of alcohol to four units after four months of treatment with the GLP-1 agonists. The reduction in alcohol use was comparable to the decrease that can be achieved by nalmefene, a drug that decreases the "buzz" feeling in people with alcohol use disorder in Europe, according to the researchers. For the 188 patients who were followed over an average of four months, none had increased their alcohol intake after starting the weight-loss medications. Patients reported that after an evening meal, they were too full to have their usual drink — and when they did drink, they reported becoming full extremely quickly and drinking at a slower pace, Le Roux noted. "The findings in this study suggest that we may have just found a therapeutic target for alcohol use disorder." This suggests that the experience was less enjoyable, partly due to the reduced rate of alcohol absorption. Some patients also reported that they didn't enjoy the flavor of the alcoholic beverages as much, and also that hangovers were much worse. All of these experiences showed that the weight-loss medications create "guard rails" that prevent most patients from drinking excessively, giving them a degree of control over their alcohol intake, according to Le Roux. "The findings in this study suggest that we may have just found a therapeutic target for alcohol use disorder — the GLP-1 receptor," the professor told Fox News Digital. "This finding potentially opens the possibility of an entirely new pharmacological treatment paradigm, which could be used in conjunction with conventional methods, such as behavior therapy and group support." The study was limited by its relatively small number of patients, the researchers acknowledged. Also, the researchers were not able to verify the participants' self-reported alcohol intake, and roughly one-third of them were not available for follow-up. There was also no control group, which means the researchers couldn't prove that taking weight-loss medication reduces alcohol intake. "Randomized, controlled trials with diverse patient populations — including patients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder — are needed to provide the quality and quantity of data that could be used to support an application for licensing the medication for the treatment of alcohol use disorder," Le Roux said. (One such trial is currently underway in Denmark.) With the current medications available to treat alcohol use disorder, the "major problem" is compliance, Le Roux said — "because the cravings for alcohol tend to come in waves." "This means a patient might be fully committed to treatment at one point in the week, but then stop taking the medication later in the week when a craving comes," the professor added. There are currently three FDA-approved medications to treat alcohol use disorder: naltrexone (which helps decrease cravings by reducing the "buzz" feeling that comes with drinking alcohol); disulfiram (which helps some people avoid alcohol by making them feel sick when they drink), and acamprosate (which restores the balance of hormones in the brain to reduce cravings), according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. But less than 10% of people with alcohol use disorder get the proper treatment, with many resuming use within the first year of treatment, past research shows. The main advantage of the GLP-1 agonists is that they only need to be taken once a week and continue to work for the entire week. Outside experts say the study's findings highlight the potential of weight-loss medications to help treat alcohol use disorder. "This research suggests a promising ancillary benefit of GLP-1 analogs, potentially influencing cravings for alcohol and offering a new avenue for managing alcohol use disorder," Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, who was not part of the study, told Fox News Digital. For more Health articles, visit "While the exact mechanisms are still being explored, the findings contribute to our understanding of the broader benefits of GLP-1 analogs beyond obesity treatment," Stanford added.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Weight loss drugs could give you more control over your drinking, say experts
Could taking popular GLP-1 weight loss drugs help curb alcohol use? Well, researchers say they already are. Taking semaglutide and liraglutide — a lesser-known active ingredient — medications for weight loss cut their consumption by nearly two-thirds in just four months. The findings are good news in the fight against alcohol use disorder. Excessive drinking can harm the liver and other organs, in addition to increasing the risk of several types of cancer. In the U.S., approximately 178,000 people die from excessive alcohol use each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 20,000 people die from alcohol-related cancers. 'GLP-1 analogues have been shown treat obesity and reduce the risk of multiple obesity-related complications. Now, the beneficial effects beyond obesity, such as on alcohol intake, are being actively studied, with some promising results,' Carel le Roux, a professor at University College Dublin, said in a statement. Le Roux is one of the co-author of the work, alongside colleagues in Ireland and Saudi Arabia. The research was published this month in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. To reach these conclusions, they examined more than 260 patients who were being treated for obesity at an Irish clinic. Of those, nearly 80 percent were women, 179 of whom drank alcohol regularly. Their average weight was over 200 pounds. However, just 188 of patients were tracked for an average of four months. None of them increased their alcohol intake and their average alcohol decreased from 11.3 units a week to just 4.3 units. A bottle of wine contains 10 units. Regular drinkers saw a reduction of 68 percent, which is comparable to a drug used to treat alcohol use disorder, the authors said. But, just how does it work? Well, more research needs to be done, but Le Roux said 'it is thought to involve curbing cravings for alcohol that arise in subcortical areas of the brain that are not under conscious control. Thus, patients report the effects are 'effortless.'' The semaglutide drugs mimic a hormone that targets appetite regulating areas of the brain. Millions of Americans use the drugs, which other researchers have found may come with surprising health benefits. One recent study has found semaglutide treats liver disease in two-thirds of patients. A study released on Tuesday found oral treatments can mimic the metabolic effects of gastric bypass surgery. 'GLP-1 analogues have been shown treat obesity and reduce the risk of multiple obesity-related complications. Now, the beneficial effects beyond obesity, such as on alcohol intake, are being actively studied, with some promising results,' Le Roux said.
