Health
Ozempic could help reduce Alzheimer’s risk for some, study suggests: ‘Shifting the paradigm’
Ozempic used to help cure arthritis pain: Report
Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel joined ‘Fox & Friends’ to discuss his take on Ozempic being used to cure arthritis pain and why some doctors are warning some medications can affect heat sensitivity.
Semaglutide medications — such as Ozempic, the popular diabetes drug — have been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease for certain groups.
A new study, which was led by researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, revealed that patients who were prescribed semaglutide had a “significantly lower risk” of developing Alzheimer’s compared to those taking other types of anti-diabetic medications, according to a press release.
The researchers analyzed three years of medical records for nearly one million type 2 diabetes patients in the U.S.
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The findings were published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association on Thursday.
Semaglutide medications have been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease for certain groups. (iStock)
“Our study provides promising real-world evidence suggesting that semaglutide could be beneficial in preventing or slowing down the development of AD,” lead author and biomedical informatics professor Rong Xu told Fox News Digital.
“The underlying mechanisms remain unknown, and future mechanistic studies and clinical trials are necessary to confirm the effects.”
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Alzheimer’s is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, taking around 120,000 lives each year.
Unlocking potential benefits
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, is a GLP-1 molecule that regulates blood sugar in diabetes patients.
It is also the active ingredient in Wegovy, Ozempic’s counterpart that is used to treat obesity.
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, is a GLP-1 molecule that regulates blood sugar in diabetes patients. (REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo)
The findings suggest that there could be potential beneficial effects of semaglutide in preventing or slowing down the development of Alzheimer’s in high-risk populations, such as patients with type 2 diabetes, Xu noted.
“This can provide some guidance in the choice of anti-diabetic medications for diabetes management and, at the same time, for preventing Alzheimer’s disease,” she said.
MEAT CONSUMPTION LINKED TO HIGHER TYPE 2 DIABETES RISK IN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY
Dr. Sue Decotiis, MD, a New York City weight-loss doctor, said she was not surprised by the study’s discovery of the extra GLP-1 benefits.
“We know that GLP-1 drugs treat insulin resistance, which has a positive impact on the whole body – cardiovascular health, neurovascular health, decreased risk of stroke and better cognitive function,” Decotiis, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital.
Semaglutide is also the active ingredient in Wegovy, Ozempic’s counterpart that is used to treat obesity. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity doctor who often prescribes Ozempic to his patients, said this study reinforces how metabolic health influences neurodegeneration.
“The connection becomes even more apparent when considering the links between obesity, chronic inflammation and conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, often referred to as ‘type 3 diabetes’ due to its association with insulin resistance in the brain,” Osborn, who also was not involved in Case Western’s research, told Fox News Digital.
“GLP-1s treat insulin resistance, which has a positive impact on the whole body – including better cognitive function.”
In people with diabetes, a byproduct of insulin resistance is an increase in inflammation, Osborn noted, which is a “key driver” of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.
“This suggests that effective management of insulin resistance and systemic inflammation reduction may be pivotal in slowing or preventing neurodegenerative diseases,” he said.
‘Shifting the paradigm’
Osborn agrees that the preventive effects of GLP-1 drugs will likely extend across various conditions.
“These drugs will ultimately be employed not just for diabetes, but as preventative and therapeutic agents for nearly all non-infectious age-related diseases, as well as conditions like alcoholism and drug addiction,” he said.
In people with diabetes, a byproduct of insulin resistance is an increase in inflammation, which is a “key driver” of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline, according to a doctor. (iStock)
While the study doesn’t claim that GLP-1s are a cure for Alzheimer’s, Osborn said, “It shifts the paradigm by addressing the underlying risk factors for Alzheimer’s rather than just its symptoms.”
“It suggests a more comprehensive approach — one that tackles insulin resistance, obesity and inflammation,” he went on.
By improving insulin sensitivity and reducing inflammation, these medications could provide direct benefits for not only the brain, but the entire body, he suggested.
“After all, most age-related conditions share common underpinnings and vary only by which part of the body is affected,” Osborn said. “It’s simply a matter of geography.”
Alzheimer’s is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, taking around 120,000 lives each year. (iStock)
Decotiis said she expects to see “more and more widespread benefits” from using this category of drugs, but that more studies are needed to prove that they slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.
“There needs to be a clear indication from the FDA to use these drugs for Alzheimer’s specifically in order for them to be covered by insurance,” she added.
“Most age-related conditions share common underpinnings — it’s simply a matter of geography.”
Xu reiterated that these findings “cannot be used to justify off-label prescription of semaglutide for Alzheimer’s disease prevention and treatment.”
“For this to happen, randomized clinical trials are necessary,” she said.
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The researcher also acknowledged that the study had some limitations.
“This is a retrospective cohort study with inherent limitations related to uncontrolled or unmeasured confounding and biases,” she said.
“These drugs will ultimately be employed not just for diabetes, but as preventative and therapeutic agents for nearly all non-infectious age-related diseases, as well as conditions like alcoholism and drug addiction,” a doctor predicted. (iStock)
“Further research into semaglutide’s use will need to be further investigated through randomized clinical trials so alternative drugs can be tested as potential treatment for this debilitating illness.”
The study received funding from the National Institute on Aging and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.
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When contacted by Fox News Digital, Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk issued the following statement.
“Novo Nordisk welcomes independent research investigating the safety, efficacy and clinical utility of our products.”
A company spokesperson also stated that Novo Nordisk is conducting its own research into the effectiveness of oral semaglutide in early Alzheimer’s disease, with expected completion in 2025.
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A new injectable therapy is showing positive results in reducing melanoma throughout a five-year period.
The personalized mRNA cancer therapy, called intismeran autogene, combined with the cancer immunotherapy drug KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), is a collaboration between Merck and Moderna.
The results from the phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 study were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago on May 27.
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After about a five-year follow-up, the combo drug was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone.
The researchers analyzed data from 157 patients with high-risk stage 3 and 4 melanoma whose cancer had been removed via surgery. The participants were split into two groups — one received the combo therapy and the other only received pembrolizumab, according to a press release.
The therapy was found to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 49% compared to pembrolizumab alone after a five-year follow-up. (iStock)
The findings revealed that the combination group saw benefits that were “sustained and durable over time.”
Intismeran autogene is designed using mutations identified in a patient’s own tumor, with the intention of teaching the immune system what the cancer looks like so that it can recognize and attack it.
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According to the researchers, intismeran is “well-tolerated” with a “manageable” safety profile.
The most commonly cited side effects of the personalized mRNA vaccine plus KEYTRUDA were fatigue, injection-site pain, chills, fever and headache. The researchers reported no new long-term safety concerns and no severe vaccine-related adverse events.
The combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study — the final confirmation stage.
Patients with late-stage melanoma have a “significant risk” of cancer recurrence, according to an expert. (iStock)
In a Merck press release from January, Kyle Holen, MD, Moderna’s senior vice president and head of development, oncology and therapeutics, noted that this data highlights the “potential of a prolonged benefit … in patients with resected high-risk melanoma.”
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“We continue to invest in our platform in oncology because of encouraging outcomes like these, which illustrate mRNA’s potential in cancer care,” he said.
Dr. Marjorie Green, senior vice president and head of oncology, global clinical development at Merck Research Laboratories, also commented that for many patients with stage 3 or 4 melanoma, there is a “significant risk of recurrence following surgery.”
Researchers confirmed that the combination therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 3 study. (iStock)
“As such, demonstrating the longer-term potential of intismeran autogene and KEYTRUDA to reduce the risk of recurrence for certain patients with melanoma is a meaningful milestone,” she said.
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The company cited encouraging five-year follow-up data and pointed to upcoming late-stage INTerpath trial results with Moderna in several hard-to-treat cancers.
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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