--- title: The Health Risks and Benefits of Weight-Loss Drugs description: Researchers compiled a list of all of the ways GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound affect the body. canonical: https://time.com/7207986/health-risks-benefits-weight-loss-drugs-ozempic-wegovy/ author: Alice Park article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-01-21T13:28:22.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-01-19T17:57:04.000Z article:section: Health og:title: The Health Risks and Benefits of Weight-Loss Drugs og:description: Researchers compiled a list of all of the ways drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound affect the body. og:url: https://time.com/7207986/health-risks-benefits-weight-loss-drugs-ozempic-wegovy/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1ed1d53ef3d275d7/6998b28907a30df54f77ac07/zepbound.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: zepbound og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Health Risks and Benefits of Weight-Loss Drugs twitter:description: Researchers compiled a list of all of the ways drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound affect the body. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1ed1d53ef3d275d7/6998b28907a30df54f77ac07/zepbound.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Health Risks and Benefits of Weight-Loss Drugs > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ba4f0259-4910-4a53-a7a7-3fc6e05ffb1d&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ba4f0259-4910-4a53-a7a7-3fc6e05ffb1d&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=ba4f0259-4910-4a53-a7a7-3fc6e05ffb1d&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ba4f0259-4910-4a53-a7a7-3fc6e05ffb1d&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: How Weight Loss Drugs Work [Watch (HLS stream): How Weight Loss Drugs Work](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/yiIE8WSy.m3u8) (1:21)  _Published 2024-09-27. Researchers compiled a list of all of the ways drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound affect the body._  by [Alice Park](https://time.com/author/alice-park/)  ## Alice Park Senior Correspondent Updated: Jan 19, 2026 5:57 PM UTCPublished: Jan 21, 2025 1:28 PM UTC  An Eli Lilly & Co. Zepbound injection pen arranged in the Brooklyn borough of New York, US, on Thursday, March 28, 2024\. Patients, doctors and pharmacists across the US are struggling to get their hands on Eli Lilly & Co.'s powerful new obesity drug Zepbound, as demand for the weight-loss shot soars. Photographer: Shelby Knowles/Bloomberg via Getty Images An Eli Lilly & Co. Zepbound injection pen arranged in the Brooklyn borough of New York, US, on Thursday, March 28, 2024\. Patients, doctors and pharmacists across the US are struggling to get their hands on Eli Lilly & Co.'s powerful new obesity drug Zepbound, as demand for the weight-loss shot soars. Photographer: Shelby Knowles/Bloomberg via Getty Images Shelby Knowles/Bloomberg—Getty Images  by [Alice Park](https://time.com/author/alice-park/)  ## Alice Park Senior Correspondent Updated: Jan 19, 2026 5:57 PM UTCPublished: Jan 21, 2025 1:28 PM UTC The [newest weight-loss drugs](https://time.com/7199613/which-weight-loss-drug-is-best-wegovy-zepbound/), Wegovy and Zepbound, are incredibly popular. But doctors are still learning about all of the ways they affect the body—both helpful and harmful—beyond reducing weight. In [report published in _Nature Medicine_](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03412-w), Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, chief of research and development at the VA St. Louis Health Care System and clinical epidemiologist at Washington University School of Medicine, and his colleagues performed a comprehensive analysis on the health outcomes associated with the drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. These medications began as diabetes treatments to lower blood glucose levels and have now been approved to help people without diabetes lose weight. But because they have been used for longer as diabetes treatments, Al-Aly’s team studied the health records of more than two million people with diabetes in the Veterans Affairs database, some of whom were taking the GLP-1 medications and some who took other diabetes treatments. They tracked health outcomes over about four years for 175 different conditions, including infections, substance-use issues, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and gastrointestinal disorders. **Read More**: [_Patients Are Suing Over Alleged Side Effects of Weight-Loss Drugs_](https://time.com/7130456/ozempic-side-effects-wegovy-mounjaro-gastroparesis-weight-loss/) The group found that people taking the GLP-1 medications had a lower risk of a number of health conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, addiction, seizures, blood-clotting problems, heart conditions, and infectious diseases, compared to people taking the other types of diabetes treatments. The people taking the GLP-1 drugs also had increased GI-related issues, low blood pressure, and arthritis, as well as certain kidney conditions and pancreatitis—most of which are already known side effects of the medications. “What this paper shows is that treating obesity and metabolic syndrome likely has a broad health profile,” says Al-Aly. “We know obesity is bad for many, many things, and now we have empiric evidence that treating obesity produces good health benefits across the board beyond just reduction in weight. But there are also risks, and we hope these findings prompt discussion with people and their providers.” Many of the health benefits listed in the new paper are known. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently [approved](https://time.com/6899164/wegovy-weight-loss-drug-heart-disease/) adding to Wegovy's label that the drug can also reduce the risk of heart events by 20% in people with obesity , for example. In Dec. 2024, the FDA also [added](https://time.com/7203597/zepbound-sleep-apnea-fda/) to Zepbound’s label that it can reduce the symptoms of [obstructive sleep apnea](https://time.com/7176245/sleep-apnea-treatments-cpap-machine/). Other health benefits, including the reduction in [Alzheimer’s disease](https://time.com/6986373/how-to-slow-alzheimers-lifestyle/) are currently being studied by the drugs’ manufacturers. (In the current analysis, Al-Aly found that people taking the drugs had a 12% lower risk of the neurodegenerative disorder.) **Read More**: [_No One Knows How to Talk About Weight Loss Anymore_](https://time.com/6973988/how-to-talk-about-weight-loss-ozempic/) Many tissues in the body have receptors for GLP-1, a hormone, which explains its multiplicity of health effects. The study included people taking different types drugs in this category—semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic), and tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound). While tirzepatide targets two hormones—GLP-1 and GIP—Al-Aly says the predominant effect of tirzepatide is likely on GLP-1\. Canvassing all of the health effects of a new drug category like GLP-1s could be a novel way for agencies like the FDA to get an early understanding of a new medication’s potential benefits and harms. “We hope we’ve provided an example for how these new technologies and statistical methods could be used to help us build a map of a new drug’s landscape,” says Al-Aly. Since all of the people in the study had obesity, it’s not clear to what degree the health benefits were related to people losing weight, and which effects were potentially independent of weight. “You can conceptualize obesity as the mother of all ills," says Al-Aly. It could be that "people get on GLP-1s to lose weight, and as a consequence of the weight loss, feel better.” But it’s also possible that GLP-1s are benefiting the body in other ways, he says. For instance, there are GLP-1 receptors in brain regions that regulate impulse control and reward. That’s how scientists believe these medications suppress appetite: by dampening the reward signaling associated with food. Similar pathways could explain why the medications have suppressive effects on addictions to alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and opioids. GLP-1s also have anti-inflammatory effects, which can stabilize the function of cells that line the blood vessels and help to minimize clot formation, Al-Aly says. Scientists like Al-Aly are only starting to understand the widespread effects these medications have on the body. Questions remain: The study wasn’t designed to test whether different doses of the drugs could provide greater health benefits, for example. And in coming years, newer formulations that target three hormones in the same family—instead of one or two—might offer even more potent health benefits. “The story of GLP-1s is really being written every day,” says Al-Aly. “Our group and others have several more years—decades, even—to really flesh out \[that story\] completely.” ## Transcript 40% of Americans have obesity, and 16% have diabetes. New drugs are helping to treat those conditions and more. As you eat, food moves through the stomach and into the intestines. There, cells trigger the release of hormones, including GLP one and GIP, which regulate blood sugar, digestion, and appetite. The drugs usually injected once a week, mimic these hormones. Many organs have receptors for the hormones, so the drugs have effects throughout the body. In the hypothalamus, the drugs make you feel less hungry. In the stomach, they slow the digestion process, making you feel full longer. In the pancreas, they trigger insulin production, which helps to pull sugar from the bloodstream and into cells for energy. In the liver, they reduce the amount of sugar from food that is released into the bloodstream. In trials, these drugs have helped people lose up to 21% of their body weight. Common reported side effects include nausea and vomiting, which for some people, subside as the body adjusts to the drug. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7207986/health-risks-benefits-weight-loss-drugs-ozempic-wegovy/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7207986/health-risks-benefits-weight-loss-drugs-ozempic-wegovy/"},"headline":"The Health Risks and Benefits of Weight-Loss Drugs","datePublished":"2025-01-21T13:28:22.000Z","dateModified":"2026-01-19T17:57:04.000Z","description":"Researchers compiled a list of all of the ways drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound affect the body.","url":"https://time.com/7207986/health-risks-benefits-weight-loss-drugs-ozempic-wegovy/","keywords":["Drugs","healthscienceclimate","feat-audio"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1ed1d53ef3d275d7/6998b28907a30df54f77ac07/zepbound.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alice Park","jobTitle":"Senior Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/alice-park/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1ed1d53ef3d275d7/6998b28907a30df54f77ac07/zepbound.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"zepbound","caption":"zepbound","creditText":"Shelby Knowles/Bloomberg—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/drugs/","name":"Drugs"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7207986/health-risks-benefits-weight-loss-drugs-ozempic-wegovy/","name":"The Health Risks and Benefits of Weight-Loss Drugs"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"How Weight Loss Drugs Work","description":"Researchers compiled a list of all of the ways drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound affect the body.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/yiIE8WSy/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2024-09-27T22:21:56.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/yiIE8WSy.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/7207986/health-risks-benefits-weight-loss-drugs-ozempic-wegovy/","duration":"PT1M21S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/7207986/health-risks-benefits-weight-loss-drugs-ozempic-wegovy/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```