Study details and key findings

For the study, researchers analyzed the health records of over 2 million patients with diabetes in the Veterans Affairs database. Among the patients, 215,970 were taking GLP-1 drugs while the remainder received other diabetes drugs and usual care. Between October 2017 and December 2023, the researchers tracked patients' outcomes for 175 different health conditions.

Overall, the researchers found that patients who took GLP-1 drugs had lower risks of 42 health conditions. These conditions include Alzheimer's disease and dementia, addiction, seizures, heart conditions, blood-clotting problems, and infectious diseases.

According to Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research and education service at the VA Saint Louis Health Care System and one of the study's authors, the wide range of risk reductions associated with GLP-1 drugs were likely due to two main mechanisms: a reduction in obesity and a suppression of areas of the brain involved in impulse control and reward signaling.

"When treating obesity effectively using GLP-1 receptor agonists, you see beneficial effects that are beyond reduction in BMI," Al-Aly said. He also noted that GLP-1 drugs have anti-inflammatory properties and can help stabilize endothelial function, which could improve cardiovascular health.

Commentary

Scott Butsch, director of obesity medicine at Cleveland Clinic, who was not involved in the study, said it was "very interesting" and that it "extends our current knowledge of the effectiveness of this class of medications."

According to Al-Aly, while the study found that GLP-1 drugs had more benefits associated with them than risks, people should not view the findings as an overall recommendation for the drugs.

"It's hard to make a blanket recommendation, because the side effects are real," Al-Aly said. "I think people should have a conversation with their practitioners or their doctor or provider and do their own individualized risk benefit analysis."

Going forward, the researchers plan to study the potential connection between GLP-1 drugs and Alzheimer's, seizures, blood clotting, and infection compared to other diabetes drugs. It is also still unknown whether different doses of the drugs or new formulations could affect the health benefits people see.

"The story of GLP-1s is really being written every day," says Al-Aly. "Our group and others have several more years—decades, even—to really flesh out [that story] completely."