For the past few years, the buzz around drugs termed rather technically GLP-1 agonists has been deafening. That stands for glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists, so we trust you won’t mind the abbreviation. You’ll probably be even happier to learn the brand names because they are probably super familiar: Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for weight loss.

Semaglutide, the active ingredient in these drugs, is the latest in this class of GLP-1 agonists. Liraglutide (Saxenda) has been on the market for years, but it did not generate the same kind of excitement. Not only is the public eager to get its hands on a GLP-1 drug, but so are health care professionals. They have been considering multiple unorthodox applications for these compounds.

A new report showcases this effort (Nature Medicine, Jan. 20, 2025). Researchers analyzed nearly 2 million health records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs databases. All of these people had Type 2 diabetes. About 216,000 of them started treatment with a GLP-1 medicine and were followed for an average of four years.

The scientists used statistical tools to see if there were any unexpected benefits or downsides associated with this type of treatment, and they found several. People taking a GLP-1 were less likely to develop heart disease, diabetes or liver disease. They also had fewer problems with inappropriate blood clotting, seizures, respiratory problems and substance use disorders. Compared to usual care for Type 2 diabetes, the GLP-1 agonists were associated with a lower likelihood of dementia, bulimia, suicidal ideation, inflammatory bowel disease and pneumonia. Blood sugar control and weight loss might account for several of these benefits.

Not all the news was so rosy, though. The veterans taking GLP-1 compounds also had to contend with more than their share of digestive difficulties such as nausea, vomiting, stomachache, acid reflux and gastroparesis.

In this last complication, food does not move through the digestive tract as expected and may instead sit in the stomach for hours or even days. As a result, anyone planning surgery needs to stop eating long before their anesthesia is started.

The investigators point to other unanticipated complications, including low blood pressure that can lead to fainting, pancreatitis, kidney problems, including kidney stones, and joint pain. There may well be further revelations of side effects as well as benefits from these medications in the future.

Some readers have shared their experience with GLP-1 drugs and the related medicine tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound). June said: “I’ve been injecting Zepbound for nine weeks and lost 16 pounds, going from 194 to 178. I am never hungry, and my sleep has improved. I’ve stopped drinking alcohol without trying and I no longer need blood pressure medicine. On the downside, I’m constipated and shedding hair. But my mental outlook has improved enormously. I’m very happy to be on this drug.”

Mimi had a less pleasant experience: “After a month on Ozempic, I had lost 10 pounds and was feeling good about it. Then, while in the doctor’s office for blood work, I passed out and had to be hospitalized. My blood pressure had bottomed out at 64/46.

“After many tests, I was diagnosed with severe colitis. My doctor said he had seen a number of other cases like mine, with a drop in blood pressure and stomach problems. He called it ‘the Ozempic effect.’ Now I’m afraid to take it again.”

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.