• A new study has found that taking semaglutide (Ozempic) was linked with less severe COVID-19.
• People were also less likely to die from any cause while using this drug.
• Semaglutide does not appear to directly affect COVID-19, however.
• Experts say the accompanying weight loss helps make you healthier in general.
• Even with semaglutide, you still need to take precautions like vaccines and masking.

According to a study published online on August 30, 2024, in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, people using 2.4-milligram semaglutide were less likely to have severe cases of COVID-19 when using this drug.

They were also less likely to die from any cause, cardiovascular or otherwise.

The study authors further noted that the reduced rate of non-cardiovascular deaths was mainly due to fewer people dying from infections.

Semaglutide is available under the brand names Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for weight loss.

However, while Wegovy is available in the 2.4-milligram dose, Ozempic tops out at 2 milligrams.

How semaglutide use may affect COVID-19 risks

The authors state that people with overweight and obesity are at greater risk for dying, both from cardiovascular disease and other causes.

Their goal was to see if semaglutide might help prevent these deaths, looking at both cardiovascular deaths and deaths from other causes, including deaths from COVID-19.

The researchers randomly selected over 17,000 individuals to participate.

Participants were ages 45 and up with a body mass index (BMI) that established them as living with either overweight or obesity.

The study participants also had been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease but not diabetes.

Over a period of 3.3 years, these people received weekly injections of either semaglutide or a placebo.

During this time, any deaths that occurred were recorded based on the cause of death.

They found that 833 people died during the course of the study, with 58% of these being related to cardiovascular disease, while the remainder were due to other causes.

After analyzing the data, the researchers reached the conclusion that there were fewer deaths from any cause in the group that was treated with semaglutide.

Another salient finding was that, while semaglutide did not reduce the rates of COVID-19, those who contracted the virus had fewer adverse events related to the disease.

Learn more about how to get GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy from vetted and trusted online sources here:

• How to Get Ozempic: Everything You Need to Know
• Where to Buy Ozempic Online
• How to Get Wegovy for Weight Loss In Person and Online
• How to Get a Wegovy Prescription Online
• How to Get Zepbound: What We Know So Far
• Where to Buy Zepbound Online
• How to Get Mounjaro (Tirzepatide)
• Where to Buy Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) Online

How semaglutide might help reduce COVID-19 severity

Dr. Ramit Singh Sambyal, a General Physician associated with ClinicSpots who was not involved in the study, said that GLP-1 receptor agonists, like semaglutide, were originally designed to treat diabetes.

However, they can improve overall metabolic health by making it easier for people to lose weight, he said.

“When we think about this in the context of COVID-19, there’s a fascinating link: obesity is a known risk factor for severe outcomes from the virus,” Sambyal explained. “So, anything that helps reduce obesity-related issues might also lower the risks if you get infected.”

Sambyal went on to explain that obesity isn’t just about added weight.

“[I]t also put a lot of stress on the body, including chronic inflammation, which makes it harder for your immune system to fight off infections like COVID-19,” he said.

Losing weight with semaglutide allows your body to function better, said Sambyal.

“Blood pressure drops, blood sugar becomes easier to control, and inflammation decreases,” he said. “This makes you healthier overall and less vulnerable to severe complications if you contract COVID-19.”

Sambyal additionally emphasized that drugs like semaglutide do not appear to have any direct effect on the COVID-19 virus, although ongoing research is investigating whether GLP-1 drugs could impact it.

“So, while they can make you healthier and possibly less likely to suffer severe outcomes, they’re not a miracle cure for COVID-19,” he concluded.

Why you should still take precautions against COVID-19

Dr. Michael Lahey, a physician with My Weight Loss Partner, added to Sambyal’s thoughts by noting that while drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy can aid with treating obesity and obesity-related diseases, they do not free you from taking precautions against COVID-19.

“These drugs are intended for controlling certain illnesses and must be regarded only as useful adjuncts to a particular disease control program,” he explained.

If you have obesity or accompanying diseases that put you at higher risk for COVID-19 complications — such as cancer, chronic kidney, liver, lung, or heart disease; diabetes; or a compromised immune system — you still need to follow measures such as vaccination, physical distancing, and masking to protect yourself, according to Lahey.

“These medications, when taken, truly lower the risk of severe COVID-19, but they do not eliminate the need for every preventive measure,” he stated.

Sambyal added that it’s important to think of these drugs as “a piece of a bigger puzzle.”

“Yes, they can help reduce your risk by improving your overall health, but they don’t prevent the virus from infecting you,” he said.

Vaccines help train your immune system to fight off the virus. Taking additional precautions can help keep you from getting the virus in the first place, said Sambyal.

Takeaway

A new study has found that people using semaglutide experienced less severe cases of COVID-19.

Additionally, they were less likely to die from any cause during the study.

Experts say this is because weight loss makes you healthier overall, reducing your risk for COVID-19 complications.

Even if you are using drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy, you still need to take precautions against COVID-19 — such as vaccinations, physical distancing, and masking — to reduce your risk.