Several studies have been done on the myriad list of side effects that come from popular weight loss drugs.
A new study conducted by researchers from the University of British Columbia have looked at the impact of these drugs on hair loss. According to their findings, semaglutide, the active ingredient in both Wegovy and Ozempic, was associated with an increased risk of hair loss.
“Anecdotal data has alluded to hair loss as another adverse event associated with semaglutide,” the researchers wrote in the report. “Data from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have reported more hair loss events with GLP-1 agonists compared to other antihyperglycemics.
“However, to date, no epidemiologic study has examined this association in a real-life clinical setting, especially in those taking semaglutide purely for weight loss.”
The study
The researchers analyzed data from the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus for Academics database, which included information on 16 million people.
For the purposes of this study, all of the participants selected were first-time semaglutide users. None of the participants had been diagnosed with diabetes or had a history of taking similar drugs.
The study included nearly 2,000 people taking semaglutide, and compared the results with over 1,300 people taking a similar drug with a different active ingredient – bupropion-naltrexone.
The researchers followed the participants’ health outcomes from the time they were prescribed the weight loss drugs through the time they were diagnosed with hair loss.
The results
Ultimately, those taking semaglutide were more likely to experience hair loss than those taking bupropion-naltrexone. Additionally, women taking semaglutide were more likely than men to experience hair loss.
The researchers hypothesized why this relationship between semaglutide and hair loss may exist:
Rapid weight loss may increase physiological stress, which can increase the risk of hair loss. Semaglutide has been linked with more rapid weight loss than bupropion-naltrexone, which could explain the greater likelihood of hair loss.
Semaglutide helps users lose weight by suppressing the appetite; however, with a lower appetite, those taking the drug may also not be getting the vitamins and nutrients necessary for healthy hair growth. Similarly, those experiencing gastrointestinal issues – like vomiting – as a result of semaglutide may not be retaining the vitamins and nutrients they need for healthy hair growth.
It’s also possible that semaglutide users experience hormone dysregulation, which can also impact hair growth.
While the researchers believe more research is needed in this area, they encourage consumers to consider these side effects before beginning treatment.
“Those considering using semaglutide strictly for weight loss might want to factor in hair loss as a possible limitation of these drugs, and in particular, women who may want to use semaglutide, the researchers wrote.
“The risk benefit calculus to treatment initiation may be different for those with diabetes or morbid obesity and they may be more willing to accept hair loss as a potential risk of semaglutide treatment than those using semaglutide for recreational weight loss.”