GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy may help slow biological aging

• In a trial of adults living with HIV, participants receiving semaglutide showed slower progression of several epigenetic markers associated with biological aging compared with those receiving placebo.
• Researchers found a 9% reduction in biological aging speed using the DunedinPACE epigenetic clock, alongside improvements in markers linked to mortality risk and age-related disease.
• The improvements were observed in aging-related measures associated with the blood, brain, heart, liver, kidneys, and metabolic health, suggesting potentially broad systemic effects.
• While semaglutide is not proven to extend lifespan or reverse aging, the study provides early clinical evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists may influence biological pathways involved in aging and age-related diseases.

People living with HIV may experience accelerated biological aging compared with people without HIV. Even when HIV is well controlled with antiretroviral therapy, ongoing inflammation and immune system activation can contribute to earlier development of age-related conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and frailty.

Those living with HIV may also experience lipohypertrophy, which is the accumulation of fat in certain areas of the body. It is thought to result from a combination of HIV infection, chronic inflammation, and some antiretroviral treatments.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy. This medication can lead to significant weight loss, particularly by reducing body fat.

Originally investigating whether semaglutide could reduce excess fat in those with HIV-associated lipohypertrophy, a post hoc analysis suggests that the GLP-1 drug may not only reduce fat accumulation but may also slow biological aging.

The new study, published in Nature Communications, found that adults living with HIV who received semaglutide showed slower progression of several molecular markers linked to biological aging compared with those who received a placebo.

However, researchers caution that the findings do not mean the drug reverses aging, but could influence pathways involved in age-related disease.