Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Apr 29

Honored to speak at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute workshop on #LongCOVID. I am energized by our 2 days of brainstorming about the road ahead. The challenges are real, but I’m leaving hopeful. Millions living with Long Covid are counting on our progress—we must keep keep pushing forward!!!

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Feb 10

This story gets wilder. One of the researchers who is helping design this new generation of addictive foods is on GLP-1!!!

Wild but true.
buff.ly/40QHDnk

Ozempic Could Crush the Junk Food Industry. But It Is Fighting Back.

As revolutionary new weight-loss drugs turn consumers off ultraprocessed foods, the industry is on the hunt for new products.

buff.ly

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Feb 10

For decades, the junk food industry has deliberately engineered foods to be addictive. GLP-1 drugs have helped people break free from this cycle. The industry is now searching for ways to undo the effects of these meds, aiming to design foods that remain addictive for those on GLP1. buff.ly/40QHDnk

Ozempic Could Crush the Junk Food Industry. But It Is Fighting Back.

As revolutionary new weight-loss drugs turn consumers off ultraprocessed foods, the industry is on the hunt for new products.

www.nytimes.com

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Feb 3

GLP-1 drugs are revolutionizing the way we think about obesity. It is a chronic disease (like high blood pressure), and might actually be a form of food addiction. One reason these drugs are so effective in treating obesity could be that they address the underlying addiction.

Mapping the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists - Nature Medicine

An atlas of the associations between the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and 175 health outcomes reports the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1RAs compared with other antihyperglycemic…

buff.ly

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Feb 3

New Long Covid policy paper from Norway outlines knowledge gaps and lessons learnt for developing preparedness for future pandemics.

Section 5 (pictured below) outlines their recommendations. Led by Sara Illman, PhD and colleagues.

www.nordforsk.org/2025/knowled...

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Feb 2

Alzheimer, addictions, dépression… les effets bénéfiques de l’Ozempic et des médicaments apparentés

My Ozempic piece has been translated into French; thanks the amazing team at Conversation in Paris. @theconversation.com @france.theconversation.com

theconversation.com/alzheimer-ad...

Alzheimer, addictions, dépression… les effets bénéfiques de l’Ozempic et des médicaments apparentés

Les médicaments GLP-1 sont efficaces pour traiter le diabète et l’obésité. Ils pourraient l’être aussi pour lutter contre de nombreuses autres affections. Néanmoins, des effets indésirables existent.

theconversation.com

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 31

I talked to Dani Blum from @nytimes.com about the potential role of GLP-1 drugs (Ozepmic and similar drugs) on Alzheimer’s disease.

They seem promising, but more data is needed.

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/w...

Could Ozempic Protect Against Alzheimer’s?

Could a diabetes and weight loss drug benefit the brain? Here’s what scientists are learning.

www.nytimes.com

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 30

@us.theconversation.com piece here:

theconversation.com/ozempic-and-...

Research shows that people who take these weight-loss medications may have a lower risk of dementia and numerous other health conditions.

theconversation.com

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 30

Substack here:

ziyadalaly.substack.com/p/unpacking-...

Unpacking the Benefits and Risks of the Popular GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs

Our latest research, published in Nature Medicine, comprehensively maps the benefits and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound) across 175 health conditions in ov...

ziyadalaly.substack.com

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 30

🚨 ICYMI: Our latest study shows that the popular GLP-1 weight loss drugs (e.g. Ozempic) have broad health benefits — reducing risks of 42 health conditions. They are not without risks — increasing risks of of 19 health conditions.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Mapping the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists - Nature Medicine

An atlas of the associations between the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and 175 health outcomes reports the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1RAs compared with other antihyperglycemic medicat...

www.nature.com

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 22

📄 Free access to the full study: rdcu.be/d6VYU

New from my team: In a study of over 2 million people, we comprehensively mapped the benefits and risks of GLP-1 (e.g. Ozempic and similar weight loss drugs) across 175 health conditions.

Please share and download before it goes back behind paywall.

Mapping the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists

Nature Medicine - An atlas of the associations between the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and 175 health outcomes reports the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1RAs compared with other...

rdcu.be

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

Happy to do it. Reach out by email please (Gmail).

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

Thanks to Kristina Sauerwein for the press release and Abeeha Shamshad and Jessica Church for media outreach

Thanks to our reviewers, editors and all those supported us.

Link to press release medicine.washu.edu/news/study-i...

Study identifies benefits, risks linked to popular weight-loss drugs | WashU Medicine

GLP-1 medications tied to decreased risk of dementia, addiction; increased risk of kidney, pancreas and gastrointestinal problems

medicine.washu.edu

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

A lot of people who would benefit from GLP1 are not able to access them due to cost. Access issues to these meds should be solved.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Mapping the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists - Nature Medicine

An atlas of the associations between the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and 175 health outcomes reports the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1RAs compared with other antihyperglycemic medicat...

www.nature.com

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

While I am enthusiastic about the potential for GLP1 meds in helping address the obesity epidemic, prevention must remain the foundation of our approach to health and well-being.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Mapping the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists - Nature Medicine

An atlas of the associations between the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and 175 health outcomes reports the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1RAs compared with other antihyperglycemic medicat...

www.nature.com

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

The beneficial effects on many conditions (e.g. Alzheimer’s) may implicate GLP1 in their mechanisms – and open new therapeutic avenues (e.g. GLP1 could play a role in mechanism of Alzheimer’s and may be effective treatments)

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

c. I am struck by the consistent effect on addiction disorders – it elevates the likelihood that obesity itself is a form of addiction to food (in excess of caloric need) and that addressing it effectively requires drugs that work on that pathway.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Mapping the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists - Nature Medicine

An atlas of the associations between the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and 175 health outcomes reports the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1RAs compared with other antihyperglycemic medicat...

www.nature.com

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

Some thoughts:

a. Obesity is a chronic disease – it is not lack of willpower
b. Treating obesity itself – likely has many downstream benefits beyond just weight loss

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Mapping the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists - Nature Medicine

An atlas of the associations between the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and 175 health outcomes reports the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1RAs compared with other antihyperglycemic medicat...

www.nature.com

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

GLP1 increased risks of gastrointestinal disorders, hypotension, syncope, arthritic disorders,
nephrolithiasis, interstitial nephritis and drug-induced pancreatitis.

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

GLP1 reduced risks of substance use and psychotic disorders,
seizures, neurocognitive disorders (including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia), coagulation disorders, cardiometabolic disorders, infectious
illnesses and several respiratory conditions.

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

The results show that GLP1 have a wide-ranging beneficial profile but are not without risks.

GLP1 meds were associated with reduced risk of 42 (24%) outcomes and increased risk of 19 outcomes (11%).

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

We included several controls - people on sulfonylureas, DPP4 inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors and people on usual care who did not start GLP1
We followed study participants for 3.7 years
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

So, we decided to do the comprehensive study!

We did a discovery analysis which comprehensively examined 175 possible health outcomes (leaving no stone unturned) in 215,970 people on GLP1 and more than 2 million individuals not on GLP1.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

Why we did this study?

We saw that GLP1 use has substantially increased, and reports started to emerge about off-target beneficial effects. But realized that no one had comprehensively investigated effectiveness and risks of GLP-1 across all possible health outcomes

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Mapping the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists - Nature Medicine

An atlas of the associations between the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and 175 health outcomes reports the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1RAs compared with other antihyperglycemic medicat...

www.nature.com

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Ziyad Al-Aly MD @zalaly.bsky.social · Jan 20

The latest from my team in Nature Medicine.

We comprehensively mapped the benefits and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1) (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound).

By @Biostayan, Taeyoung Choi and me

A 🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Mapping the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1 receptor agonists - Nature Medicine

An atlas of the associations between the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) and 175 health outcomes reports the effectiveness and risks of GLP-1RAs compared with other antihyperglycemic medicat...

www.nature.com

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