The diabetes drug Ozempic (semaglutide) has shown remarkable anti-aging effects in the first clinical trial to directly measure its impact on biological age. After 32 weeks of treatment, study participants were an average of 3.1 years biologically younger. This is the strongest evidence yet that GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide may have benefits that go far beyond their established role in treating diabetes and weight management.

The study was led by Varun Dwaraka of the diagnostic company TruDiagnostic in Lexington, Kentucky. It involved 108 people with HIV-associated lipohypertrophy, a condition characterized by fat accumulation and accelerated cellular aging. Half of the participants received weekly injections of Ozempic for 32 weeks, while the rest received a placebo. The researchers used what is known as a epigenetic clocks, which measure biological aging by analyzing DNA methylation—chemical markers that alter gene activity and develop predictably with age. These patterns can be accelerated or slowed by lifestyle, meaning that biological age often differs from chronological age.

“Those taking semaglutide were an average of 3.1 years biologically younger at the end of the study,” Dwaraka reports. No significant change was seen in the placebo group. However, the anti-aging effects were not uniform across all body systems. The greatest improvements were seen in the brain and immune system, where biological aging was delayed by almost five years. Significant benefits were also found in the cardiovascular system and kidneys.

Dwaraka points out that semaglutide may not just slow the pace of aging, but in some people, it may even partially reverse it. He emphasizes that the drug has the potential not just to stop the biological clock, but to literally turn it back.

These effects are thought to be due to semaglutide’s effects on fat distribution and metabolic health. The accumulation of fat around internal organs leads to the release of molecules that accelerate aging by altering DNA methylation in key genes. Semaglutide limits this accumulation and suppresses chronic inflammation—a key driver of epigenetic aging—creating a more youthful internal environment.

Randy Seeley, MD, of the University of Michigan Medical School, said he wasn’t surprised by the results. He said drugs of this type reduce the metabolic burden on cells and curb inflammation—two key drivers of aging. He noted that the benefits likely stem from overall health improvements rather than direct effects on cells.

Although the study was conducted in patients with HIV-associated lipohypertrophy, the mechanisms by which semaglutide works are not specific to this condition. Dwaraka says it's entirely possible that similar effects on biological aging could be seen in other populations. However, he cautions that it's too early to prescribe semaglutide widely as an anti-aging drug. Still, the study adds weight to growing efforts to use existing drugs to combat diseases associated with aging, a process that could speed up approvals and reduce the risk of side effects.

The study represents a significant breakthrough in understanding the potential of GLP-1 drugs. They are already well-established in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, and are now being studied for cardiovascular disease, addiction and dementia. Dwaraka says semaglutide could become one of the most promising candidates in this field. | BGNES