Warning over fat jabs as they raise the chances of NINETEEN illnesses – but protect against dozens of others
WEIGHT loss jabs protect against dozens of illnesses but raise the chances of 19 others, a study shows.
Demand has rocketed for slimming injections such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Researchers found people taking the jabs had lower rates of 42 conditions — including stroke, dementia, drug addictions, liver cancer and cardiac arrest.
But 19 illnesses were more likely, including arthritis and damage to the gut, pancreas and kidneys.
The risk of pancreatitis — a life-threatening swelling of the pancreas — was doubled in people taking the jabs.
The number of Brits having them privately is projected to hit a million this year, with tens of thousands getting them on the NHS.
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Study author Dr Ziyad Al-Aly said: “Our results provide insights into some known and previously unknown benefits and risks.
“GLP-1 drugs can have broad health benefits but are not without risks.
"They should be monitored.”
The injections work by mimicking a hormone the body produces when the stomach is full, slowing down digestion and preventing cravings.
Dr Al-Aly’s study at Washington University in St Louis, US, analysed medical records of two million Americans between 2017 and 2023.