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Semaglutide is known for its weight loss benefits.
The revolutionary injections, sold as Ozempic and WegovyThey are proven to help people lose up to 2nd.
But slimming punches also have some surprising benefits, as MailOnline explains…
Ozempic and Wegovy, hailed by the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Elon Musk, have been shown to help people lose as much as second place.
Reduces alcohol cravings
It’s not just food that puts you off Ozempic, it can also drastically reduce your desire to drink alcohol.
Attention has focused on the possibility that semaglutide may reduce drug cravings and alcohol consumption.
Ozempic works by mimicking GLP-1, a natural hormone that tells the brain it is full. Some experts believe that this internal process, which suppresses the desire to eat, can also mitigate other cravings.
Studies on rodents have supported the theory.
A team of researchers at the US National Institutes of Health published a study in 2023 that found that semaglutide deterred rodents from drinking alcohol.
Attention has focused on the possibility that semaglutide, the powerful chemical in both Ozempic and Wegovy, may have a potential impact on addictive behaviors such as reducing drug craving and alcohol consumption.
There has also been some evidence in humans that semaglutide specifically reduces symptoms of alcohol use disorder.
Published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, a case series last year described the fascinating results of six patients who received semaglutide during weight-loss treatment.
But researchers at the University of Oklahoma College of Community Medicine and Oklahoma State University Health Sciences Center also found that they reduced their alcohol consumption.
A follow-up showed that all six patients indicated “low-risk” alcohol consumption, indicating that they no longer had problems with their alcohol use.
However, the study authors stressed that more research is needed.
Reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.
According to researchers, the gentle prick could also reduce the risk of having a heart attack.
Having a healthy weight can reduce the risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases such as stroke and vascular dementia.
This is because excess weight can cause fatty material to build up in the arteries, warns the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
If an artery that carries blood to the heart becomes damaged and blocked, it could cause a heart attack. If this happens to the arteries that carry blood to the brain, it can lead to a stroke, according to BHF.
Therefore, it is not surprising that semaglutide injections that help with weight loss may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems.
Ozempic and its sister drug Wegovy work by causing the body to bind to a receptor called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a protein that triggers the release of hormones in the brain that keep the stomach full and tell the body stop eating and avoid cravings
One study suggested that receiving injections of 2.4 mg of semaglutide such as Wegovy per week could reduce the risk of “major adverse cardiovascular events” by 20 percent.
That’s according to the company behind the drug.
2023 study from Novo Nordisk, which makes Wegovy, enrolled 17,604 adults over the age of 45 with overweight or obesity, cardiovascular disease and no history of diabetes.
The researchers divided the participants into two groups: one received the Wegovy injection and the other received the placebo.
Can treat kidney failure
It’s not just cardiovascular problems, according to Novo Nordisk, the thin jabs can treat. The company also believes it could help treat patients with kidney failure.
Chronic kidney disease affects 7.2 million Britons, but this figure is expected to rise by around 400,000 over the next decade, mainly due to the increasing number of cases of high blood pressure and obesity.
But researchers say offering them early treatment with semaglutide would be a revolutionary solution.
In October, Novo Nordisk announced it was stopping its study into whether the drugs could effectively treat kidney failure patients who also had diabetes because it was confident it would be successful.
Having a healthy weight can reduce the risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases such as stroke and vascular dementia. Research has shown that Wegovy could also help reduce this risk.
The Danish drugmaker was testing whether the diabetes drug could slow the progression of chronic kidney disease and reduce the risk of death from complications.
A separate study, published last year, found that type 2 diabetics who also had kidney disease saw their condition stabilize after taking semaglutide.
A 2018 study in the US found that kidney disease patients taking a different GLP-1 medication experienced a significant reduction in a protein called albumin in their urine. A high amount may be a sign that the kidneys are not working properly.
Could increase fertility
Many women who previously struggled with infertility claim to have conceived unexpectedly while using weight loss injections.
Dubbed “Oopzempic babies,” the phenomenon has even led some American doctors to prescribe unauthorized injections to treat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a leading cause of fertility problems in women.
But experts say losing weight can generally help fertility.
Professor Adam Balen, consultant in reproductive medicine at Leeds University Hospitals NHS Trust and former president of the British Fertility Society, said: “Many overweight women have reduced fertility and those with PCOS may stop ovulating. .
“Losing weight improves fertility and the likelihood of ovulation.”
Many women who previously struggled with infertility claim to have conceived unexpectedly while using the miracle weight loss injections.
GLP-1 anti-obesity drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy could have an effect on cognitive disorders and even prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
This is because fat cells produce estrogen, which can have a negative impact on fertility, stopping regular menstruation and ovulation. This means that by losing just a few pounds, your hormone levels may be reduced.
Semaglutide also works by delaying stomach emptying, which could prevent the body from effectively absorbing oral contraceptives.
Injections can cause users to experience vomiting and diarrhea, which can decrease the impact of contraceptives and also increase the chances of pregnancy.
GLP-1 anti-obesity drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy could have an effect on cognitive disorders and even prevent Alzheimer’s.
Novo Nordisk is studying what impact these medications have on cognitive function.
Trials are evaluating the effects of semaglutide versus placebo in people with early Alzheimer’s disease.
But this is not the first time that researchers have studied the benefits of GLP-1 drugs on cognitive disorders.
one 2003 study Research published in Neuroscience found that GLP-1 can reduce the accumulation of amyloid protein in the brain.
The NHS explains that Alzheimer’s is thought to be caused by a build-up of these toxic proteins, which can form plaques around brain cells.
However, obesity may contribute to impaired cognitive function and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, according to the Alzheimer’s Society, suggesting it may simply be the weight-loss effects that give it its anti-disease benefits.