Weight loss drugs tied to unexpected side effect, study finds
- A new study has linked weight loss drugs, specifically GLP-1 agonists such as Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovy, to an increased risk of hair loss.
- The research, which analysed data from approximately 50,000 people, found that GLP-1 drugs were associated with a 37 per cent to 68 per cent higher risk of alopecia compared to other diabetes medications.
- Regulatory bodies, including the UK’s MHRA and the US FDA, have received hundreds of reports of hair loss related to these drugs, with the FDA currently evaluating this as a potential safety signal.
- Published in the British Medical Journal, the study suggests the hair loss is typically non-scarring alopecia, indicating that hair follicles remain intact.
- Researchers propose that rapid weight loss, reduced caloric intake and associated physiological stress or micronutrient deficiencies are the most likely mechanisms contributing to the hair loss.
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