Ozempic May Be Linked to Lower Risk of Alzheimer’s in People with Type 2 Diabetes

Certain classes of weight loss drugs may have positive effects on the brain, according to a recent study.

Published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia on Thursday, Oct. 24, the study found that semaglutide — the active ingredient in popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy — may be linked to lower risks of Alzheimer's disease in people with type 2 diabetes.

The study compared the three-year outcome of over one million patients with type 2 diabetes over the age of 60 who had been prescribed semaglutide, insulin or one of several other common diabetes medications. 

Researchers found that the participants who were prescribed semaglutide incurred lower rates of Alzheimer’s when compared to the participants taking other drugs. Results were consistent regardless of participant weight, age and gender.

The results were most pronounced when researchers compared semaglutide to insulin. The participant group on semaglutide had a 70% lower risk of Alzheimer’s when compared to the group taking insulin.

These new findings add to already existing research that GLP-1 drugs — the class of drugs that include medications, like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound — could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and even slow the progression of the disease in people who do not have type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Paul Edison, a professor of neuroscience at Imperial College London, conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of over 200 patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s. The study, which was published by Imperial in July, found that the use of GLP-1 drugs may reduce cognitive decline in early-stage Alzheimer’s patients by as much as 18% and also slow brain shrinkage — a significant indicator of how quickly the disease will progress.

While the study has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, Dr. Edison presented his initial findings at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference this past summer. 

“What we’ve shown is that these GLP-1s have great potential to be a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Edison at the conference, according to NBC News. “As a class of drugs, this holds great promise.”

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While initial research is promising, experts also stress that more research must be done to fully understand the link between drugs like Ozempic and brain health — if there is any at all. 

“We should be cautious about claiming semaglutide can treat or prevent Alzheimer’s based on this study alone,” said Dr. Alberto Espay, a neurologist at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, in a statement to NBC News on Thursday. 

Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company that makes both Ozempic and Wegovy, said it will run two upcoming trials to further study the potential positive effects of semaglutide on patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s.