The newest class of weight loss drugs was initially developed to treat diabetes by mimicking a natural hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). In doing so, GLP1-RAs—short for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists—can stimulate a range of effects, including increased insulin production, lower blood sugar levels, slowed digestion, increased feelings of fullness, and reduced hunger.
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In other words, not only do they treat diabetes, but they also make it possible to shed a significant amount of body weight. However, mounting research suggests that the benefits don’t stop there. These drugs may also come with health benefits not previously understood—especially when it comes to your kidney and colon health, two new studies show.
The first, a study published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology last month,looked at how GLP1-RA medications might affect kidney and cardiovascular health, returning promising results for anyone at high risk for related conditions.
The meta-analysis reviewed data from 11 large-scale clinical trials involving 85,373 subjects taking GLP1-RAs. The subject pool included 67,769 individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and 17,604 who were overweight or obese and had cardiovascular disease but not diabetes.
The researchers investigated the effects of seven different GLP1-RAs, including semaglutide (also known as Ozempic or Wegovy), dulaglutide (Trulicity), and liraglutide (Victoza). The study ultimately revealed that compared to a placebo, GLP-1 RAs cut the risk of kidney failure by 16 percent and reduced the worsening of kidney function by 22 percent. (It's worth noting that while Ozempic and Wegovy have the same active ingredient, the latter is the only option approved for weight management.)
“This is the first study to show a clear benefit of GLP-1 receptor agonists on kidney failure or end-stage kidney disease, suggesting they have a key role in kidney-protective and heart-protective treatment for patients with common medical conditions like Type 2 diabetes, overweight or obesity with cardiovascular disease, or chronic kidney disease (CKD),” lead study author Sunil Badve, MD, PhD, said via news release.
“These results are particularly important for patients with chronic kidney disease,” added Badve, a nephrologist, professor, and Professorial Fellow at the George Institute for Global Health and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney. “It is a progressive condition eventually leading to kidney failure requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation and is associated with premature death, mostly from heart disease. It has a significant impact on patients’ quality of life and incurs substantial healthcare costs.”
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Another 2023 study published in the medical journal JAMA Oncology found that weight loss drugs may also reduce colon cancer risk in people living with diabetes, regardless of whether or not they are considered obese. However, more pronounced benefits occurred in the obese group. The findings were consistent for both men and women.
The researchers analyzed data from over 1.2 million patients with type 2 diabetes who had previously not taken GLP-1 medications. Comparing that data over a 15-year follow-up period, they found that these weight-loss drugs were associated with decreased risk for colon cancer compared with other medications (including insulin and metformin) used to manage blood glucose levels in diabetic individuals.
In fact, subjects who took GLP-1RAs saw a 44 percent decrease in colorectal cancer risk compared with those who took insulin. Those same subjects had a 25 percent lower risk than those who took metformin.
The study authors noted that this suggests “a potential protective effect against CRC [colorectal cancer] partially mediated by weight loss and other mechanisms not related to weight loss.”
If you’re debating options for diabetes treatment, you may wish to discuss these potential benefits with your doctor. Prescription weight loss drugs are not right for everyone, but increasingly, the research seems to suggest that they have more benefits than previously believed.
