Semaglutide—the diabetes and weight-loss drug known by brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy —is continuing to show its potential to treat a wide range of other conditions. While recent studies have revealed that these drugs may help stop opioid addiction , smoking , and even help people live longer , a new study published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association now also links semaglutide to a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In the study, researchers at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine analyzed three years of electronic records of nearly one million Americans with type 2 diabetes.
They compared patients prescribed semaglutide—a glucagon-like peptide-1 ( GLP-1 ) receptor agonist—to those prescribed one of seven other anti-diabetic drugs, including metformin, dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i), and other GLP-1RAs (which mimic the effects of GLP-1s). Patients prescribed semaglutide had a 40% to 70% reduced risk of first-time Alzheimer’s diagnosis, compared to other anti-diabetic medications. “The result is what we expected,” Rong Xu, biomedical informatics professor at Case Western Reserve University and lead researcher on the study, tells Fortune .
Given other studies that show semaglutide can help reduce inflammation in the body, prevent neuron damage , promote weight-loss , control diabetes , and prevent cardiovascular disease —in addition to helping curb the urge to smoke and drink—Xu says .
