A new study led by researchers at Case Western Reserve University has found that patients who are prescribed semaglutide medications like Ozempic have a “significantly lower risk” of developing Alzheimer’s when compared to those taking other types of anti-diabetic medications.
Alzheimer’s is a prevalent disease that is currently the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, taking about 120,000 lives each year.
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity doctor at Senolytix, who frequently prescribes Ozempic to his patients, noted to Fox News that this study “reinforces how metabolic health influences neurodegeneration” especially when “considering the links between obesity, chronic inflammation and conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, often referred to as ‘type 3 diabetes’.”
He then went on to state that individuals who have been diagnosed with diabetes oftentimes develop a certain level of insulin resistance which then causes inflammation throughout the body and is a “key driver” for neurodegeneration & cognitive decline. This is suggestive of “effective management of insulin resistance and systemic inflammation [being] pivotal in slowing or preventing neurodegenerative diseases.”
Moving forward, Dr. Osborn believes these kinds of drugs will be utilized, not only for diabetes, but for “preventative and therapeutic agents” for almost all “non-infectious age related diseases” including alcoholism and drug addiction.
Although this study did make it a point to mention that GLP-1s are not a cure for Alzheimer’s, Dr. Osborn highlighted the fact that “it shifts the paradigm by addressing the underlying risk factors for Alzheimer’s rather than just its symptoms” suggesting a more “comprehensive approach” and tackling not only insulin resistance, but obesity and inflammation as well.
By improving insulin sensitivity and reducing systemic inflammation, he stated that these medications could positively impact both the brain and the body as a whole.
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While the study highlighted many benefits and advantages to the usage of this medication, there are still some limitations, such as the fact that these findings can’t be used to justify off-label prescription of GLP-1 medications for Alzheimer’s disease prevention and treatment. Another limitation is that this research needs to go through randomized clinical trials so other drugs can be tested as potential treatment options for this disease as well.
When asked about the research currently being done on Ozempic, Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk gave Fox the following statement, “Novo Nordisk welcomes independent research investigating the safety, efficacy and clinical utility of our products.”
The full version of this article was published on Fox News by Melissa Rudy on October 24, 2024
