Trendy fat jabs Wegovy and Ozempic ‘protect against cancer as well as tackling obesity’
TRENDY fat jabs also boost protection against cancer, according to a study.
Drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic — known as GLP-1s — help to recharge vital immune cells that don’t work as well in overweight people.
Irish researchers found they restore “natural killer cells” which can fend off and destroy tumours.
Professor Donal O’Shea, of the Irish Health Service Executive, said: “The findings represent very positive news for people living with obesity on GLP-1 therapy.
“They suggest the benefits of this family of treatments may extend to a reduction in cancer risk.
“We are finally reaching the point where medical treatments for the disease of obesity are being shown to prevent the complications of having obesity.”
Around a quarter of English adults are obese, with a further 38 per cent being overweight.
Being too heavy reduces your body’s natural defences against cancer, with natural killer cells being rendered useless.
Obesity is linked to a higher risk of getting 13 types of cancer, which make up 40 per cent of all cases diagnosed in the US each year.
Some obese people in England are now being offered Wegovy on the NHS.
The drug contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient as Ozempic, which is a diabetes drug that patients found also helped them lose weight.
It is said to have helped reality star Kim Kardashian and Twitter boss Elon Musk shed the pounds.
The drugs work by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that targets areas of the brain that regulate appetite and food.
This helps patients feel full for longer, helping them shed the pounds.
The latest research, which will be presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Dublin, looked at whether semaglutide could also help restore natural killer cells.
Researchers measured how well the cells function in 20 people with obesity that were given the drug once a week for six months.
Dr Andrew Hogan, of Maynooth University, said: “My team and I are very excited by these new findings in relation to the effects of the GLP-1 treatment on people with obesity
“It appears to result in real tangible benefits for those currently on the drug.
“Given the recent spike in popularity with high-profile celebrities commenting on its success, global demand has increased and resulted in a worldwide shortage of the drug.
“I hope this is something that is brought under control to ensure as many people as possible living with obesity can start their own treatment of this beneficial drug.”