As demand for weight-loss injections sold under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy continues to soar, a study has uncovered neurological and behavioral health benefits amid risks for pancreatitis and kidney disease.

A new peer-reviewed study based on data from nearly 2M individuals highlights a wide range of clinical benefits and risks, including several newly found conditions linked to the GLP-1 class of weight loss and diabetes drugs.

The findings, based on an analysis of records from 2.5 million VA patients, support much of what scientists already suspected but contain surprises, too.

T he newest weight-loss drugs, Wegovy and Zepbound, are incredibly popular. But doctors are still learning about all of the ways they affect the body—both helpful and harmful—beyond reducing weight. In report published in Nature Medicine,

Some outcomes, like reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and increased chance of nausea, were expected. But others took researchers by surprise.

GLP-1 medications linked to a lower risk of dementia and addiction but higher risk of kidney, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal issues. Demand for weight-loss medications, including popular brands like Ozempic and Wegovy,

Over 2 million people were included in new research to test these drugs against 175 different health outcomes.

A study analyzing data from over 2 million veterans found that GLP-1 receptor agonists, popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, provide significant neurological and behavioral health benefits,

GLP-1 weight loss drugs - such as Wegovy and Mounjaro - may reduce risk of conditions including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

A class of drugs designed to fight diabetes and weight loss can help with a host of other problems, but also carry some side effects.

Ozempic was first approved to treat diabetes in Canada seven years ago. Now the largest study of its kind suggests it and other medications like it have a host of other potential health benefits beyond obesity,