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Ozempic: A Potential Key to Reversing Your Biological Age

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Growing evidence of Ozempic’s extensive health benefits

David J. Phillip / Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo

Ozempic, a medication for type 2 diabetes, has been linked to a deceleration in aging, with credible evidence emerging to support this claim.

Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, both of which contain semaglutide, have been increasingly recognized for their impact on obesity and are being researched for various conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, addiction, and dementia.

Previously, scientists speculated on their potential to slow biological aging, based primarily on animal studies and observational human data. However, recent clinical trial results offer direct evidence, according to Varun Dwaraka from Trudiagnostic, a diagnostics company based in Lexington, Kentucky.

To evaluate a drug’s impact on biological aging, researchers utilize epigenetic clocks, which highlight patterns of DNA methylation—a chemical modification that influences gene activity. These patterns evolve with age and can be adjusted by lifestyle factors, including diet. Essentially, an individual’s biological age might differ from their chronological age.

Dwaraka and his team examined 108 epigenetic clocks in individuals with HIV-related fat hypertrophy, a condition leading to excess fat accumulation and hastened cellular aging. In a randomized controlled trial, one group received Ozempic weekly for 32 weeks, while the control group received a placebo.


Using blood samples collected pre- and post-trial, the researchers determined the biological ages of 84 participants. “By the study’s conclusion, individuals administered semaglutide were, on average, biologically 3.1 years younger,” states Dwaraka. The placebo group showed no noteworthy changes. “Semaglutide not only decelerates aging but may also reverse it in certain participants,” he adds.

The research revealed that various organs and systems, particularly the heart and kidneys, exhibited slowed biological aging, with the most significant influences noticeable in the inflammatory system and brain.

Dwaraka attributes this phenomenon to semaglutide’s role in fat distribution and metabolic health. Excess fat surrounding organs can release pro-aging molecules that modify the DNA methylation of crucial age-related genes. Semaglutide effectively curtails low-grade inflammation, which is another contributor to epigenetic aging.

While the findings originated from individuals with HIV-associated fat hypertrophy, many of the biological pathways impacted by semaglutide are not unique to HIV. “Thus, similar effects on epigenetic aging may be expected in other populations,” asserts Dwaraka.

It’s not surprising that such drugs can decelerate aging, says Randy Shealy from the University of Michigan School of Medicine, as they alleviate metabolic stress on various cells and diminish inflammation—key drivers of aging throughout different cell types. However, he posits that much of the benefits arise from semaglutide improving overall health rather than direct cellular effects.

It remains to be seen if semaglutide should be taken to maintain biological youth. “It’s premature to widely recommend it as an anti-aging therapy,” Dwaraka cautions. Nonetheless, he believes this study will accelerate ongoing efforts to repurpose existing medications for age-related challenges, expediting approval processes while mitigating the risk of unforeseen side effects. “Semaglutide could become a leading candidate in this arena,” concludes Dwaraka.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

She collaborated in Harvard’s laboratory on reversing the aging process.

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Petrova’s return flight from Paris landed in Boston on the evening of February 16th. As the plane sat on the tarmac, she exchanged messages with Dr. Peshkin regarding the handling of a package at customs. However, the passengers had already disembarked the plane, so Petrova cut the conversation short.

Initially, Petrova felt her re-entry was normal. At Passport Control, officials verified her J-1 visa sponsored by Harvard and recognized her as a biomedical researcher. Her passport was stamped, and she was acknowledged by the state.

As she made her way to retrieve her package, Border Patrol officers approached her and requested to search her suitcase. Her biggest concern was that the embryo sample inside would be compromised, as RNA is easily damaged. She admitted her lack of knowledge about the rules. The officer, in a polite manner, informed her that she was allowed to proceed.

Subsequently, another officer entered the room, and the tone of the conversation shifted, according to Petrova. This officer asked detailed questions about Petrova’s work and travel history in Europe. Petrova was then informed that her visa had been revoked and was questioned about her fear of being deported to Russia.

“Yes, I’m afraid to return to Russia,” she expressed, as per a Homeland Security Department transcript provided by her attorney. “I fear that the Russian Federation will harm me for protesting against them.”

Petrova’s lawyer, Greg Romanovsky, acknowledged her violation of customs regulations but argued that it was a minor offense punishable by forfeiture and fines.

Romanovsky emphasized the need for agents to establish a valid basis for revoking her visa and contended that violation of customs regulations was not sufficient justification. Lucas Gattentag, a professor at Stanford Law School, concurred and criticized the government for creating an improper immigration status that led to Petrova’s detention.

In February, customs officials detained Petrova at Logan International Airport in Boston for not declaring a sample of frog embryos.
credit…M. Scott Brauer of the New York Times

A DHS spokesperson questioned the cancellation of Petrova’s visa and cited the discovery of Petri dishes and vials of embryonic stem cells in the package without proper authorization during a dog inspection.

The spokesperson asserted that individuals were detained legally after lying to federal officers about bringing biological materials into the country. Petrova’s cell phone messages indicated intentions to smuggle materials through customs without declaration, demonstrating a deliberate violation of the law.

Following the cancellation of Petrova’s visa by Border Patrol agents, she became an undocumented immigrant amidst the immigration policies of the Trump administration. She was held at the Richwood Detention Center, awaiting a hearing to present her asylum case before an immigration judge.

Romanovsky filed a petition for her release in federal court, urging ICE to grant her parole. He pleaded for compassion, suggesting that under different circumstances, Petrova would have been released much earlier.

Petrova spent last month in a dormitory with bunk beds, coping with the cold and receiving limited outdoor time. She shared her observations on the diverse group of women around her, highlighting the harsh conditions they all experienced.

She challenged her preconceived notions of the US compared to her experiences in Russia, expressing disbelief at the treatment she and others received. Petrova emphasized the need for basic rights for all individuals, even immigrants under detention.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Reversing Type 2 Diabetes is More Challenging Than Clinical Trials Indicate

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Insulin injections help control type 2 diabetes

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People with type 2 diabetes who lose weight while participating in clinical trials appear to be significantly more likely to have their symptoms reversed than those who lose weight outside of such studies.

Treatments such as insulin injections can help people with type 2 diabetes maintain healthy blood sugar levels. However, if you are overweight or obese, your symptoms may improve when you lose weight.

In fact, less than 10 percent of people with type 2 diabetes who lose weight outside of these trials actually lose weight, even when followed for several years. Wu Hongjian At the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In exams, this number can be closer to 90%.

These discrepancies may be due to sometimes different definitions of what it means to reverse type 2 diabetes, as well as the support and different interventions that often accompany participation in clinical trials. he says.

To better understand this, Dr. Wu and colleagues looked at more than 37,000 people in Hong Kong aged 18 to 75 who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes between 2000 and 2017, about half of whom were women. ) was studied.

Each participant was followed for an average of just under eight years, and the researchers looked at how their weight changed in the year after diagnosis and whether their symptoms improved during the study period.

The researchers measured glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, which reflect the participants’ blood sugar status over several months. To reverse type 2 diabetes, also called remission, Generally defined as an HbA1c of less than 6.5 percent. When measured at least 3 months after stopping treatment. The researchers were investigating whether these levels occurred during her two consecutive tests conducted six months apart.

The research team only measured the participants’ weight one year after diagnosis, at which point 2% were in remission and half had gained weight, Wu said.

By the end of the study, 6% were in remission at some point, Wu said. About two-thirds of these people needed diabetes medication to get their symptoms back under control within three years.

However, by simply recording participants’ weight one year after diagnosis, the researchers were not able to determine whether the participants continued to gain weight or whether other factors, such as gaining weight at a particular time, could account for some of the weight. We do not know whether it brought participants out of remission. Fat that accumulates around the waist and certain internal organs.

In contrast, one small clinical trial found that up to 86% of type 2 diabetics who lost at least 15 kg went into remission within 1 year. People participating in such studies often benefit from professional dietary management, physical exercise programs, moral support, regular monitoring, feedback, reminders and encouragement, Wu says.

But even people who participate in the control groups of some clinical trials and don’t undergo intensive weight loss programs have higher remission rates than what was seen in Wu’s team’s study.

That may be because, outside of clinical trials, doctors are often reluctant to advise patients with type 2 diabetes to stop treatment, he says. This likely also has to do with differences in how remission is defined, Wu said, since trials often require only one HbA1c measurement in a healthy patient.

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Source: www.newscientist.com