The active ingredient in popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, semaglutide, might do more than just curb appetite and manage blood sugar. A study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests the drug lessened several age-related harms and extended lifespan in older, healthy mice.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, put semaglutide head-to-head with calorie restriction, a well-known method for extending lifespan in lab animals. The study found that the drug mimicked many of the anti-aging effects of eating less, and in some key areas, it seemed to achieve even greater results. This hints that GLP-1 drugs could potentially influence the aging process itself.
Previous animal studies have indicated that these drugs can postpone the onset of various age-related diseases. If semaglutide targets the biological mechanisms driving aging, it could explain why GLP-1 treatments have shown broad health benefits. Rafael de Cabo, Ph.D., a senior investigator at the NIH's National Institute on Aging (NIA), noted that if GLP-1 agonists indeed slow aging, a wide range of clinical benefits would be expected, especially since most chronic diseases are closely linked to the aging process.
To investigate semaglutide's effects when aging was already advanced, a team led by Danica Chen, Ph.D., administered the drug to 20-month-old female mice for three months. Compared to untreated mice, those receiving semaglutide exhibited improved muscle and cognitive function. Gene activity also pointed to enhancements in aging-associated biological features, including reduced inflammation and a lessened decline in the body's tissue repair and regeneration capabilities. The impact on lifespan was particularly noteworthy, with median lifespan increasing by almost 100 days in a separate group treated until death.
To determine if the anti-aging effects were solely due to reduced calorie intake, the researchers compared semaglutide directly with calorie restriction. One group of mice received semaglutide, while another was put on a diet restricting calories by 24% to match the intake of the treated mice. While both approaches yielded similar effects in many physiological measures, semaglutide showed distinct advantages. Mice on the drug improved in exploratory behavior, spatial memory, and blood-sugar regulation, and their metabolic rate remained stable, unlike the calorie-restricted group. These differences suggest semaglutide might offer benefits beyond simply mimicking the effects of eating less.
"These differences point to the possibility that GLP-1 drugs tap into a biological pathway independent of calorie restriction," said Chen, the study's corresponding author. "Uncovering this potential route and the benefits that may specifically stem from it is an important direction for future research into the development of longevity-enhancing interventions."
While these findings offer exciting new avenues for longevity research, they do not confirm that Ozempic, Wegovy, or similar GLP-1 drugs can extend human lifespan. Further clinical research is necessary to see if the effects observed in mice translate to humans. Future studies might also explore these drugs in healthy older adults. If similar benefits are found in people without obesity or diabetes, the potential applications of GLP-1 treatments could expand significantly.
