Weight loss drugs like Ozempic may prevent dementia: study
Memory loss might have met its match.
A new study from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine suggests that GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could lower your risk of developing dementia.
That's a potential game changer for the more than 6 million Americans diagnosed each year and the 100,000 who die from the memory-robbing disease annually.
The risk of developing dementia increases with age.
fizkes – stock.adobe.com
The research team analyzed three years of health records from 1.7 million Americans with type 2 diabetes across the US.
The findings were striking: patients taking semaglutide — the key ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy — had a significantly lower risk of Alzheimer's-related dementia than those on other diabetes medications.
The benefit was especially strong among women and older adults.
'There is no cure or effective treatment for dementia, so this new study provides real-world evidence for its potential impact on preventing or slowing dementia development among at-high risk populations,' said Dr. Rong Xu, lead author and professor of biomedical informatics.
Researchers haven't nailed down exactly what causes dementia — but they do know what raises your risk.
A 2024 Lancet Commission report found that up to 45% of dementia cases could be prevented by tackling key lifestyle factors like obesity, physical inactivity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, alcohol use and even hearing loss.
Semaglutide may help protect against dementia by reducing inflammation in the brain.
alones – stock.adobe.com
Semaglutide may hit several of those targets at once.
The drug not only helps with weight loss, but also improves insulin sensitivity, lowers blood sugar, protects blood vessels and reduces inflammation in the brain — all key players in dementia risk.
Next up, scientists want to see if newer GLP-1 drugs like tirzepatide — the active ingredient in Zepbound and Mounjaro — can also have a protective effect against dementia. They also plan to track potential long-term side effects.
'Our results indicate that research into semaglutide's use for dementia prevention will need to be further investigated through randomized clinical trials,' Xu said.
While scientists hunt for a cure, there are still ways to get ahead of dementia.
The CDC recommends staying active, keeping your blood pressure in check, treating hearing loss, and cutting back on alcohol and cigarettes to help keep your brain sharp.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why Hims & Hers Health Stock Is Crashing Today
Novo Nordisk is ending its relationship with the company, removing its ability to sell the uber-popular drug Wegovy. Novo alleges Hims & Hers was not following standards and was endangering patient safety. 10 stocks we like better than Hims & Hers Health › Shares of Hims & Hers Health (NYSE: HIMS) are imploding on Monday, down 32% as of 3:03 p.m. ET. The drop comes as the S&P 500 rose 0.8% and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.7%. Novo Nordisk announced it will cut ties with Hims & Hers, saying the telehealth provider can no longer sell compounded versions of its blockbuster GLP-1 weight loss drug Wegovy. Novo Nordisk announced this morning that it is ending a partnership with Hims & Hers that allowed the telehealth provider to sell Novo's blockbuster weight-loss drug, Wegovy. According to Novo Nordisk, Hims & Hers "failed to adhere to the law which prohibits mass sales of compounded drugs under the false guise of 'personalization.'" Hims & Hers offered compounded versions of Wegovy, claiming it offered medically necessary personalization for some patients. The compounded versions, according to Novo, were sourced out of China and the labs producing them failed to meet standards or be approved by U.S. regulators. In a statement on X, Hims & Hers CEO Andrew Dudum said the company is "disappointed to see Novo Nordisk management misleading the public" and that it would "not compromise the integrity of our platform to appease a third party." The loss of its ability to sell Wegovy is a significant hit to Hims & Hers' business. The massive drop today in its stock reflects this, but even after falling more than 30%, the stock is still too expensive for my taste. Before you buy stock in Hims & Hers Health, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Hims & Hers Health wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $664,089!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $881,731!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 994% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 Johnny Rice has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Hims & Hers Health. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why Hims & Hers Health Stock Is Crashing Today was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
RFK Jr. wants every American to use ‘wearable' health data-collecting technology
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. wants all Americans to use 'wearable' technology to track their health as part of his 'MAHA' agenda. The Kennedy-clan strongman revealed his agency's plan Tuesday for a massive push for Americans — who have an obesity rate of 40% — to use wearable data-collecting technology such as FitBits, Oura Rings, and Apple Watches, to promote healthier lifestyles. 'We're about to launch the biggest advertising campaign in HHS history to encourage Americans to use wearables,' Kennedy said in a House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on Tuesday. Advertisement 3 Robert Kennedy Jr. said he wants all Americans to use 'wearable' technology to track their health as part of his 'MAHA' agenda. X / @SecKennedy 'It's a way people can take control over their own health. They can take responsibility. They can see, as you know, what food is doing to their glucose levels, their heart rates, and a number of other metrics, as they eat it,' the secretary said in the statement, which was also posted to X. 'We think that wearables are a key to the MAHA agenda of making America healthy again and my vision is that every American is wearing a wearable in four years,' he concluded. Advertisement Kennedy expressed the belief that with accurate and timely health data, Americans will exert better judgment in their diet and will even opt for more exercise. The Trump official has previously argued during his Senate confirmation hearing that obesity in the United States poses a national security risk affecting military readiness. 3 Close up of a hand touching a smartwatch with a health app on the screen, a gadget for a fitness active lifestyle. sitthiphong – President Trump's nominee for Surgeon General, Dr. Casey Means, is also an advocate for wearable Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) products. Advertisement In a blog post for her own CGM-producing company, Levels, Means argued that the 'small plastic discs' can 'reduce global metabolic suffering' and provide much-needed help to the '93.2 percent of people' in the US suffering from metabolic issues. Means' Levels technology attaches to the users' arms and sends accurate, second-by-second metabolic data to their smartphone. 3 A diabetic woman with a glucose sensor uses a mobile phone to measure her blood sugar level. Pixel-Shot – Advertisement Kennedy revealed last week that coffee giant Starbucks will make MAHA-inspired amendments to its menu — though the company already avoids artificial flavors, dyes, high fructose corn syrup, and other unhealthy additives. RFK Jr. took his first pound of flesh off of Americans earlier this year when he outlawed the use of artificial dyes in American food products.
Miami Herald
6 hours ago
- Miami Herald
5 surprising stats on alcohol use disorder
5 surprising stats on alcohol use disorder Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a serious and often misunderstood condition affecting millions of people in the United States. Despite alcohol's cultural normalization, AUD contributes to a staggering number of deaths each year and poses a major public health threat. Stigma, misinformation, and a lack of access to care continue to obscure who is affected, the role of co-occurring mental health conditions, and what treatment and recovery can look like. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 178,000 people die each year from excessive alcohol use. These deaths stem both from the effects of chronic alcohol use, including conditions like liver disease, heart disease, and certain cancers, and from acute consequences of binge drinking, such as motor vehicle crashes, overdoses, alcohol poisoning, and suicide. Alcohol-related death statistics Alcohol-related deaths are also rising. Between 2016 and 2021, deaths linked to alcohol increased by 29%, according to the CDC. This jump reflects a 27% increase in alcohol-related deaths among boys and men, and a 35% increase among girls and women, though men still account for a higher total number of deaths. The data underscores a concerning trend: excessive drinking, whether chronic or episodic, is becoming increasingly deadly across all demographics. The financial toll of alcohol use is also massive. According to federal estimates, substance misuse costs the U.S. about $740 billion each year in areas like lost productivity and healthcare. Alcohol use alone accounts for $249 billion of that total, including $27 billion in direct healthcare costs. To better understand the scope of this crisis, Charlie Health examined some of the most striking AUD statistics, from rising rates of alcohol misuse to the possible genetic components of AUD. We also share how people struggling with substance use disorder (SUD), including AUD, can access compassionate, evidence-based care. 1. Just over one in 10 Americans struggles with AUD According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), just over one in 10 people age 12 or older (10.6%) had AUD in the past year. That amounts to 29.5 million people. While this staggering number highlights how common AUD is across all age groups, there are some populations that are more at risk than others. The percentage of people who had AUD in the past year was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25, about 1 in 7 of whom (15%) struggled with the condition, according to the SAMHSA (that's 5 million people). 2. Teens with depression might be more likely to struggle with alcohol misuse Data consistently shows that mental health and alcohol misuse are closely linked, especially during adolescence, a critical period for emotional development and risk-taking behaviors. According to the SAMHSA, teens ages 12 to 17 who had a major depressive episode in the past year were more than twice as likely to binge drink than those who didn't (6.7% compared to 3.1%, respectively). SAMHSA defines binge drinking as consuming more than four or five alcoholic drinks within a couple of hours on at least one day in the past month. 3. Adults with mental health conditions might binge drink at higher rates Similar links between mental health conditions and alcohol misuse are seen among adults. SAMHSA data shows that adults with mental health conditions were more likely to binge drink alcohol than those without. In fact, over half of adults with any or a serious mental health condition were binge drinkers compared to just 21% of those without a mental health condition. 4. There might be genetic risk factors for AUD Recent genetic research has begun to identify specific genetic variants linked to addiction risk. The 2023 study discovered 19 DNA changes affecting overall addiction susceptibility, including nine tied specifically to alcohol. Understanding these genetic factors may pave the way for more targeted and effective treatments. 5. Most people with SUDs don't get the treatment they need Despite how common substance use disorders (SUDs) are, most people who need care don't get it. In 2023, an estimated 54.2 million people needed treatment - but only 23% received it, according to American Addiction Centers. This treatment gap highlights not just the scale of the crisis, but the systemic barriers - like stigma, cost, and limited access - that continue to prevent people from getting help. Expanding access to affordable, evidence-based care is essential. This story was produced by Charlie Health and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Stacker Media, LLC.
