[Popular GLP-1 medications approved for weight loss, diabetes, and heart disease may have untapped potential to treat substance abuse disorders, psychosis, infections, cancer, and dementia, a sweeping new study shows.
The research, published in the journal Nature Medicine, analyzed the medical records of nearly 2 million people with diabetes who were treated by the Veterans Health Administration for an average of almost four years. The study found that people who took GLP-1 medications had lower risks of 42 different health outcomes and higher risks for 19.
Some of the biggest risk reductions were for shock, aspiration pneumonia, liver failure, lung failure, and cardiac arrest. However, the study also found increased risks for nausea and vomiting, kidney stones, gastroesophageal reflux disease, sleep disturbances, and non-infectious gastroenteritis.
The drugs were linked to small reductions in the risk of dementia and other neurocognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. They also seemed to reduce a person’s risk for seizures and bleeding strokes. Additionally, the study found that GLP-1 drugs appeared to cut the risk for some substance use disorders, including addictions to opioids, alcohol, stimulants, and sedatives.
The study also found that people taking GLP-1 drugs had lower risks of some kinds of infections, including pneumonia, sepsis, and bacterial infections. They were also less likely than those taking other medications to experience some kinds of clotting disorders, such as pulmonary embolisms and deep vein thrombosis.
However, the study has several important caveats. Most of the patients whose records were used for the study were older, White, and male, which is typical of the population served by the VA health system. The study also found that people taking GLP-1 drugs had a 7% greater risk of developing gastroparesis compared with people who were using other types of medications to lower their blood sugar.
The study’s author, Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, said that while the study found more benefits associated with the GLP-1 drugs than risks, people shouldn’t take that as an unconditional green light. “It’s hard to make a blanket recommendation, because the side effects are real,” Al-Aly said. “I think people should have a conversation with their practitioners or their doctor or provider and do their own individualized risk-benefit analysis.”
The study’s findings are likely to spark further research into the potential benefits and risks of GLP-1 medications.
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