As demand for weight-loss injections sold under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy continues to soar, a study has uncovered neurological and behavioral health benefits amid risks for pancreatitis and kidney disease.

Popular GLP-1 medications approved for weight loss, diabetes, and heart disease may have untapped potential to reduce the risks of substance abuse disorders, psychosis, infections, some kinds of cancer and dementia,

The media queen also confessed that she was reluctant to take a GLP-1 drug because she felt it was “the easy way out.” That changed after a special on weight loss with experts and clinicians that she taped in July 2023. The panel discussion left her with her “biggest aha moment” about the medication.

If successful, the result could be lower Medicare Part D prices for drugs used to create a variety of conditions, such as cancer, asthma, type 2 diabetes and weight loss - Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy. Austedo and Austedo XR, used to treat Huntington’s disease.

The findings, based on an analysis of records from 2.5 million VA patients, support much of what scientists already suspected but contain surprises, too.

Some outcomes, like reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and increased chance of nausea, were expected. But others took researchers by surprise.

About 140,400 obese patients in Massachusetts were prescribed medications like Wegovy and Zepbound in 2024, a 255 percent increase from 2023, according to a Globe analysis of insurance claims data.

GLP-1 medications linked to a lower risk of dementia and addiction but higher risk of kidney, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal issues. Demand for weight-loss medications, including popular brands like Ozempic and Wegovy,

Websites selling compounded versions of popular weight-loss drugs from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to U.S. consumers often do not inform patients of the risks associated with these medicines, according to a research letter published on Friday.

The weight loss market is evolving at an unprecedented rate with the advancements in anti-obesity medications, and 2025 will be another remarkable year in this journey.