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Recent research has shown how weight-loss and diabetes medications, also known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s), can help with a variety of other conditions.
This includes cardiovascular disease, arthritis, skin conditions and even cancer prevention.
The medication has been linked to a lower overall incidence of chronic disease, with one Swiss study projecting a 6.4% reduction in the annual death rate by 2045.
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Dr. Sue Decotiis, a board-certified weight-loss physician in New York City, acknowledged that GLP-1 drugs can target “systemic problems” throughout the body.
“Heart, kidney, diabetes, neurogenetic diseases like Alzheimer’s, addiction, psychiatric disorders, autoimmune disease — they all have one thing in common, and that’s dysregulated metabolism,” she told Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview.
GLP-1s — including semaglutides (Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatides (Mounjaro and Zepbound) — have “special effects on multi-systems of the body,” Decotiis said.
These drugs are effective for weight loss because they increase insulin levels, which turns the body into a “fat-burning machine,” in addition to suppressing appetite.
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Fat cells are also highly metabolic, according to the expert, and produce cytokines that contribute to inflammation in the body, potentially leading to autoimmune disease, cancer and other health issues.
“By reducing the volume of fat cells in the body, we reduce all these inflammatory cytokines,” Decotiis said. “And that’s why we see a lot of the effects that we see.”
Even patients who haven’t had significant weight loss are “feeling so much better,” Decotiis reported.
The doctor has also seen an uptick in patients taking GLP-1s to address other conditions beyond obesity and diabetes, like rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease.
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Decotiis said she feels confident prescribing these drugs as a multi-symptom therapy because “they are safe.”
“I feel more comfortable with this than some of the big pharma drugs that have been out for many years,” she added.
As an example, a rheumatoid arthritis patient may also have some weight to lose, which would make them a candidate for a low-dose GLP-1, Decotiis said.
“Nine times out of 10, they’re feeling better,” she said. “I’ve seen people change, even their personality. When you’re in pain all the time, a lot of times you’re not a very nice person. So, you see real changes in people’s lives by getting rid of this inflammation.”
For those who believe they may be a candidate for a GLP-1, Decotiis recommends seeking out a certified weight-loss physician for a proper prescription, and discourages self-dosing or “micro-dosing.”
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“If they don’t know what your body composition is, they don’t know how to treat you,” she said. “They don’t know when you should stop the drug, when you should taper the drug. … If you do it [online], you might save a little money, but you’re going to probably put that weight back on and waste a lot of time.”
She added, “It’s important to do it the right way and really treat these drugs with respect, treat your body with respect, and understand that this is a wonderful tool if it’s used the right.”
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