UC San Diego study finds weight loss drug may slow biological aging

A new study led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego has found that semaglutide, a popular weight loss drug sold under names like Ozempic and Wegovy, may slow biological aging. The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, providing the first clinical evidence of the drug's potential age-slowing effects, UC San Diego reported.

The research focused on 108 adults with HIV-associated lipohypertrophy, a condition involving excess abdominal fat. About half of the participants received weekly semaglutide injections, while the others received placebo injections. Biological aging was tracked using epigenetic clocks that measure cellular aging markers in DNA.

The study showed that semaglutide slowed the accumulation of biological aging markers over the 32-week treatment period. This adds to the drug's known benefits in treating obesity, lowering blood sugar, and reducing cardiovascular disease risk.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications and highlight UC San Diego's role in advancing research on GLP-1 drugs and their broader health impacts beyond weight loss.