Ozempic started out as a way for obese people to lose weight and improve the quality of their lives. However, it quickly became popular for slightly overweight people to kickstart their weight loss journey. Now it is normal for people to use the drug, so a lot more research on the long-term side effects and other benefits can be done. In a recent study, researchers found that Ozempic may have the potential to reduce the risk of developing cancer.
What are the side effects of weight loss drugs like Ozempic
In the past few years, weight loss drugs like Ozempic have become incredibly important. This is not only for people who are obese and at risk of weight-related health conditions, but also for normal people who just need a kick starter to lose weight. You now have athletes like Serena Williams, who actively advertise that they’re using the drug to get fit after things like pregnancy.
While losing weight is the main purpose of these drugs, they also come with a lot of different benefits and side effects. However, scientists are still doing research on the long-term side effects of the drug. One team decided to look at the effect of Ozempic-like drugs on cancers and made some surprising discoveries. People who took GLP-1 drugs to fight their obesity had a 17% reduction in the risk of cancer. To get these numbers, the team used electronic health data of over 90.000 people in Florida. While this might not look like a lot, it could mean that millions of people would have a lower risk of developing cancer.
A cure for cancer or just a big coincidence?
While the research shows promising results as a side effect of the GLP-1 drugs, they can’t confirm yet if this is just a big coincidence or if the drug is actually helping to curb cancer. The researchers also have no idea yet how this drug will be able to reduce the risk of obesity-related cancers.
In addition to this, genetics might have a role in this as well. For example, your genetics play a big role in how much weight you can lose with these drugs. So it could also mean that your genetics will play a role in how much lower your risk of getting cancer is when taking these GLP-1 drugs.
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