Semaglutide medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have exploded in popularity in recent years due to their effectiveness in diabetes control and weight loss.
Research has revealed additional benefits beyond those primary uses — but some negative side effects have also emerged.
While gastrointestinal issues are the most common side effects, a recent study by the University of British Columbia linked GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonists — the class of drugs that includes semaglutides — to an increased risk of hair loss.
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The researchers analyzed data from 16 million patients from a health claims database, narrowing it down to 1,926 semaglutide users and 1,348 users of bupropion-naltrexone, another type of weight-loss medication.
After adjusting for other factors, they found that the semaglutide users were overall 50% more likely to experience hair loss compared to the other group.
Women were more likely to have this outcome, with twice the risk of men.
‘Not surprising’
The researchers were not surprised by the results, according to co-study author Dr. Mahyar Etminan, an epidemiologist and CEO of Epilytics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
“There were [previous] anecdotal reports of hair loss and also reports of hair loss in clinical trials of the drugs,” he told Fox News Digital.
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Dr. Patrick Davis, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon and hair restoration expert, agreed that the findings were not surprising.
“We have heard this anecdotally when patients consult us for surgical restoration of their face after rapid weight loss,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“Hair growth (and loss) are quite dependent on factors such as diet, essential vitamins, bodily stress and genetics.”
The first three factors come into play during weight loss, he noted — “and semaglutide-driven loss is likely no exception.”
Previous studies have shown that changes inducing stress or affecting one’s nutritional intake could pose an increased risk of hair loss, the doctor added.
“Hair growth (and loss) are quite dependent on factors such as diet, essential vitamins, bodily stress and genetics.”
“This study references that those who lost more than 20% of their body weight had higher rates of hair loss than those who didn’t,” Davis noted.
“This study theorizes that this may be due to suspected physiological stress, which may be a symptom of such rapid weight loss.”
Long-term hair loss seems to be more unlikely, the doctor said, as the “inciting event” (weight loss and stress) often normalizes as individuals reach their target weight.
Potential limitations
The study did have some limitations, noted researcher Etminan.
Those included the fact that it could not verify hair loss through medical records, but only identified medical codes for hair loss.
Davis, the plastic surgeon, also noted that this research references another study in which Wegovy users had an elevated risk of hair loss (3.3%) relative to the placebo group (1.4%).
“While this clearly shows an increased risk, 3.3% is still a very low rate of incidence,” he said.
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This early study, which was published in the preprint server medRxiv, has not yet been peer-reviewed.
“Future studies are required to ascertain the association between semaglutide and hair loss,” the researchers wrote.
Doctors’ advice
Those who experience hair loss while taking semaglutide drugs should consult with a dermatologist to determine whether it’s due to an adverse effect of these medications, Etminan advised.
“This is a relatively new adverse event and not much is known about it,” he said. “Questions about who is most at risk and whether the hair loss will reverse upon stopping the drug can be addressed in future studies.”
Davis agreed, encouraging patients to have an open conversation with their doctor about how they can best take care of themselves.
“I believe a patient should take any potential side effects into consideration before taking any medication,” he said.
“While the rate of incidence of hair loss is still decidedly low, it’s a potential trade-off that a patient should consider.”
Davis also recommends that his patients adopt a “hearty diet” consisting of fiber, protein and nutritious foods to ensure proper nourishment while taking a semaglutide medication.
“Not only may this help with hair loss, but more importantly, a strong diet can curb the unwanted loss of muscle mass that often occurs,” he said. “A proper diet, conservative timetable for weight loss, and plan for exercise are essential when taking this medication.”
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When contacted by Fox News Digital, Novo Nordisk — maker of Ozempic and Wegovy — confirmed that hair loss is an identified risk for semaglutide, and is listed as a side effect in the product information.
“In clinical trials of Wegovy, hair loss was reported in 2.5% of Wegovy-treated adult patients versus 1.0% of placebo-treated adult patients,” the company spokesperson said.
“While the rate of incidence of hair loss is still decidedly low, it’s a potential trade-off that a patient should consider.”
“Hair loss was reported more frequently in patients with greater weight loss (≥20%), suggesting that the events of hair loss were potentially related to the magnitude of weight loss.”
“Patient safety is of utmost importance to Novo Nordisk,” the statement continued. “We are continuously monitoring the safety profile of our products and collaborate closely with authorities to ensure patient safety, including adequate information on hair loss.”
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The study was funded by internal research funds from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, the journal article stated.
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