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Can Weight Loss Medications Actually Slow Ageing? The Epigenetic Evidence Says Yes

Clinical trials have shown that over a period of 32 weeks, these medications stabilised indicators of epigenetic ageing in participants, slowing their biological ageing rate by about 9% compared to those who received a placebo.


Medical weight loss medications are now being explored not just for their effectiveness in shedding kilos, but also for their positive influence on the biological ageing process. The science of epigenetics, which examines changes in gene expression not caused by alterations in DNA sequence, is at the heart of this potential revolution in metabolic health and longevity.


Close up photo of a human face with blue and pink genetic symbols in the foreground.

 

How Medical Weight Loss Medications Affect Epigenetic Ageing


Recent studies indicate that leading medical weight loss medications, can help slow down the pace of biological or epigenetic ageing. Clinical trials have shown that over a period of 32 weeks, these medications stabilised indicators of epigenetic ageing in participants, slowing their biological ageing rate by about 9% compared to those who received a placebo. In fact, the annual rate of age-related mortality risk dropped by approximately three years in the treatment group. These findings hint at benefits that go beyond weight loss or improvements in inflammation, suggesting genuinely fundamental, positive impacts on the molecular hallmarks of ageing.


 

Benefits Beyond the Scales


  • Reduced biological ageing: By impacting markers of epigenetic ageing, weight loss medications are believed to turn back the clock on a cellular level, making your body's biological age lower than your chronological age. This effect could translate to longer health spans, with a potentially lower risk of age-related diseases.

  • Decreased inflammation: The medication also reduces low-grade, chronic inflammation, a major driver of age-related conditions and an influencer of epigenetic ageing.

  • Protective effects against chronic illness: In addition to managing obesity and helping with weight loss, these medicines have been associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular events, heart failure, and even other conditions like arthritis and possibly Alzheimer's disease.

  • Improved biomarkers: Epigenetic markers, such as DNA methylation profiles, have changed for the better in people taking certain weight loss medications, indicating these medicines don’t merely treat the symptom (weight) they also help rewire your health at a genetic level.

 


Context and Considerations


While the excitement is global, it is particularly relevant for Australians, where obesity and its related health issues are pressing challenges and the clinical use of weight loss medications is rising. Experts stress, that these medications should be pursued as part of a holistic plan, accompanying dietary improvements and exercise.


 

What This Means for You


Understanding that weight management isn’t just about appearance, it’s also fundamentally about health and longevity, opens new avenues for people who may have struggled with traditional weight loss interventions. By influencing epigenetic markers, medical weight loss medications offer more than just surface-level benefits, they can, quite literally, help reset your biological clock.


 

Important Note


These results are still preliminary, ongoing research promises to clarify just how lasting these benefits are. For now, anyone considering medical weight loss should consult their healthcare professional about the benefits and risks, personal health context and longer-term impacts.


Harnessing the power of medical science to not only achieve a healthy weight but to potentially slow down the process of ageing itself, now that’s a compelling reason to investigate these new medicines with measured optimism.



Sources:

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[4] Physiological and Epigenetic Features of Yoyo Dieting and Weight ... https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2019.01015/full

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[12] What weight loss treatment options do geriatric patients ... https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5192535/

[13] Lifestyle weight-loss intervention may attenuate methylation ... https://clinicalepigeneticsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13148-021-01038-0

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[15] Pharmacological Treatment of Obesity in Older Adults - PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11554829/

[16] Diet Quality and Epigenetic Aging in the Women's Health ... https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212267224000029

[17] Medicines for long-term obesity management - Australian Prescriber https://australianprescriber.tg.org.au/articles/medicines-for-long-term-obesity-management.html

[19] Potential reversal of epigenetic age using a diet and ... https://www.aging-us.com/article/202913/text

[20] Epigenetic side-effects of common pharmaceuticals: A potential new ... https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306987709002916


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