Medical researchers have found that semaglutide may reverse debilitating tissue damage caused by osteoarthritis. most common forms of arthritis.

The drugs behind Ozempic and Wegovy are best known for treating type 2 diabetes and helps people lose weight. However, a new study found that semaglutide appears to protect joints in mice through a mechanism other than pressure relief due to weight loss.

Instead, this drug reprograms the metabolism of the cells that synthesize and maintain healthy cartilage, allowing them to produce more energy.

“This study not only highlights the potential off-target effects of semaglutide as an effective drug for treating metabolic osteoarthritis,” the Chinese-U.S. team said. I wrote this in my published paper:“But we also uncovered repair mechanisms that are independent of weight loss.”

In addition to the mouse experiments, the researchers also conducted a randomized human trial to evaluate the effects of semaglutide on pain, mobility, and tissue deterioration in patients with osteoarthritis and obesity.

Obesity, metabolic disorders such as diabetes, and inflammation are the main causes of osteoarthritis progression. These conditions can affect nearly every tissue in the body, including bone, cartilage, and bone. synovial membrane (Lubricating film that coats the inner surface of the joint).

Something like semaglutide-based drugs Ozempic and its relatives It works by mimicking glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a natural hormone that stimulates insulin release to manage blood sugar levels. This hormone also tells the brain that eating time is over and promotes an appetite suppressant effect.

Therefore, it seems clear that losing weight reduces the load on the joints and reduces osteoarthritis. However, this is not always the case. Existing osteoarthritis treatments are generally palliative. Therefore, they may reduce symptoms but do not address the underlying cause.

However, semaglutide appears to affect joint health at a fundamental level. In mice and humans, obesity and osteoarthritistreatment with semaglutide reduced pain and decreased cartilage degeneration. The mice also had fewer bone spurs and mild damage to the joint membrane.

When the researchers compared the cartilage of treated and untreated mice, they detected changes in the expression of about 8,300 proteins.

They included an important control: a “pair-feeding” group that ate the same amount as the semaglutide-treated mice. Even with comparable weight changes, the pair-fed groups did not receive the same cartilage protection, suggesting an effect independent of weight loss on the joint itself.

However, the most important biological pathway altered by semaglutide appears to be the GLP-1R-AMPK-PFKFB3 axis, a cascade of compounds that affect how different cells produce energy.

By starting this cascade of enzymes, semaglutide changes the metabolic processes used in the body. cartilage cells (cells found in healthy cartilage), increasing their efficiency and allowing them to survive.

As the researchers found, a process called glycolysis produced most of the energy. cartilage cells In mice suffering from osteoarthritis.

Glycolysis does not require oxygen, so it provides immediate energy during stressful, high-intensity exercise, such as a morning sprint to catch the garbage truck. However, due to the lack of oxygen, glycolysis only produces a net of two ATP (energy supply) molecules per molecule of glucose.

However, after semaglutide treatment, a process called oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) became the preferred metabolic pathway for chondrocytes. Unlike glycolysis, OXPHOS uses oxygen to many More ATP, up to 36 molecules per glucose molecule.

To see if any of this applies to humans, researchers recruited 20 people aged 50 to 75 with both obesity and osteoarthritis and randomly divided them into two groups. One group received sodium hyaluronate (HA), a particularly effective form of joint lubrication. hyaluronic acid. The other group received both HA and semaglutide.

At the end of the 24-week treatment period, osteoarthritis pain scores decreased and knee function significantly improved in the HA+semaglutide group. MRI The analysis also revealed recent cartilage growth, with the cartilage in the medial areas of the joints, which support weight and absorb the shock of daily movements, becoming thicker.

The results of this study could impact global health outcomes. Osteoarthritis affects the surrounding area 600 million people worldwide It is predicted that 1 billion people will be affected by 2050. young and active populationleading to decades of pain and disability.

This study adds to the growing body of evidence that GLP-1 drugs may have. Benefits beyond weight lossThis will accelerate the search for new osteoarthritis treatments that target the metabolism within the joints.

Related: Does exercise help osteoarthritis? New review reveals surprising findings

It’s also worth keeping your expectations in check. Mouse studies don’t necessarily translate to long-term results in humans, and semaglutide use has its own aspects that aren’t so rosy Side effects and concerns.

“The protective effects of semaglutide on human knee joints should be interpreted with caution and require further validation. clinical trial” say the researchers. conclude.

This study cell metabolism.