Study suggests weight loss jabs like Mounjaro could stop you getting dementia and other serious health problems
A new scientific study has found a potentially huge benefit of taking medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.
Both of the drugs, which were primarily designed to treat type two diabetes, have become incredibly popular among celebrities and the general public as a way of losing weight.
Mounjaro was recently rolled out on the NHS as a weight loss injection but there are very strict guidelines that patients have to adhere to in order to be eligible.
Mounjaro, which is also known as tirzepatide, works by mimicking hormones that produce insulin in the human body, working to reduce your appetite, make you feel fuller for longer and lower your blood sugar.
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Naturally, with users seeing their appetite reduced, it can lead to some pretty rapid weight loss, even if doctors are concerned that coming off the drug can often make patients regain the weight that they have lost.
Although they can lead to some nasty side effects, there are some who have had only a positive experience with the drug and even suggest that they had more problems coming off it compared to when they were on it.
Although there have been ethical questions raised about people using the drugs for weight loss purposes, particularly when they are sourced without a prescription, it seems as if there may be another good reason behind taking the drug.
What has the new study discovered about Mounjaro?
A new study has suggested that of the 60,000 patients over the age of 40 who were analysed, those on GLP-1RAs had a significantly lower chance of developing neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases.
The people who benefited the most from these medications were those aged 60 or older, women, and those with a body mass index [BMI] of 30 to 40.
Both diabetes and obesity are linked with the development of neurodegenerative diseases, so taking a medication that can help to treat both is therefore likely to help protect the body against illnesses such as dementia.
The catch
However, Cognitive neuroscientist Coco Newton of the University of Cambridge pointed out the problem with suggesting that the medications can lower the risk of dementia.
She said: "This is a rigorous study and suggests important therapeutic effects of GLP-1RAs beyond glycemic control.
"However, the protective effects against dementia should be taken with caution. Three types of dementia outcomes were investigated – Alzheimer's, vascular, and 'other'.
"Although there was an overall lower risk of dementia associated with GLP-1RAs, the sub-group analysis revealed that this was only the case for 'other' dementia, but not for Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia—the two most common forms of dementia.
"What constitutes 'other' dementia is unclear."
What other health benefits could Mounjaro have?
Mounjaro also comes with some heart benefits including lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol.
The production company behind Mounjaro, Eli Lilly, also suggests it can promote good kidney health and improve sleep apnea.
More digging will need to be done by boffins before an actual link can be made, but it seems like a promising start.
LADbible group has contacted Eli Lilly for comment.
James Moorhouse