Recent studies suggest that medications used to treat type 2 diabetes may also help protect against dementia. This discovery offers new hope in the fight against a condition affecting nearly 7 million Americans.
Researchers from the University of Florida studied over 90,000 patients and found that people taking diabetes drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists (like Ozempic and Wegovy) had a 33% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those taking other diabetes medications.
A second study from the University of Galway, reviewing data from more than 164,000 participants, confirmed these protective benefits.
Scientists have discovered that the receptors these drugs target are not only in the pancreas but also in the brain. In laboratory studies, these medications reduced brain inflammation and decreased the buildup of harmful proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
While recently approved Alzheimer’s drugs have raised concerns about safety and effectiveness, these diabetes medications are already widely used and well-tolerated. This research opens a promising new avenue for dementia prevention using familiar treatments with established safety profiles.
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