A recent study published in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology highlights that Wegovy, a popular obesity medication, may offer an unexpected additional benefit: a 33% lower likelihood of dying from COVID-19 among users during the pandemic.
While the incidence of COVID-19 was similar between Wegovy users and those taking a placebo, mortality rates were significantly lower for those on the medication. Overall mortality was 19% lower for participants using Wegovy, suggesting that obesity treatment could enhance life expectancy, an unusual finding in clinical trials.
Out of 4,258 participants who contracted COVID-19, 184 died—78 from the Wegovy group and 106 from the placebo group. The study indicates that Wegovy not only aids in weight loss but may also improve overall health by potentially reducing chronic inflammation and increasing resistance to infectious diseases.
Researchers are now looking into whether other medications in the same class, GLP-1 receptor agonists, exhibit similar positive effects on infections. Experts express hope that further studies will reveal even more unexpected benefits of these drugs, which have been under investigation for over a decade.