Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, already transforming the treatment of diabetes and obesity, are now being investigated for a potential new role: slowing biological aging. Researchers at UC San Diego have published a study suggesting that semaglutide, the active ingredient in these medications, may help slow the aging process at a cellular level.
The study analyzed data from over 100 adults living with HIV who also had excess abdominal fat. People with HIV often experience accelerated biological aging, even when their virus is well controlled with medication.
"Biologically, that population appears to be, on average, around five years older," said Michael Corley, a UC San Diego professor and lead researcher on the study. "So if you were looking for a therapeutic that could potentially improve aging or have some sort of impact, that would be the starting point."
Researchers compared participants who received weekly semaglutide injections with others who received a placebo. Over the 32-week study period, those taking semaglutide showed signs of slower biological aging compared to the placebo group.
"They were living 32 weeks in a condition that was more optimal for their body, in terms of some of these biomarkers of aging," Corley said.
The study found changes in DNA markers linked to inflammation and the health of the heart, brain, liver, and kidneys. Researchers believe semaglutide may help by reducing chronic inflammation and unhealthy fat around organs, both of which are associated with aging.
However, Corley cautioned that the findings do not mean semaglutide reverses aging or should be used as an anti-aging treatment. "The question is, if they went off those medications, would that snap back, and then essentially they would be aging at the rate they were," he said.
He emphasized that larger studies are needed to determine whether the effects persist after treatment ends and whether they apply to people who do not need GLP-1 medications for conditions such as obesity or diabetes. "I think the big thing that we're all waiting to see is whether they actually slow the aging process in people that do not need them according to how they've been originally prescribed," Corley said.
The broader goal, he said, is not to help people live forever, but to help them stay healthier longer and reduce the risk of age-related diseases. For now, Corley said, the benchmark for optimal aging is still diet and exercise.