Study: diabetes and weight loss drugs like Ozempic linked to hair loss

Medications widely used to treat diabetes and aid weight loss, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, may have an unexpected side effect: hair loss. This is the conclusion of a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania.

How the study was conducted

The specialists analysed electronic health records of more than 35,000 adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes over a period spanning 2019 to 2024. They compared the outcomes of patients treated with GLP-1 class medications (which include Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro) with those of patients who received other common types of diabetes treatment, namely SGLT-2 inhibitors and DPP-4 inhibitors.

What the researchers discovered

The results reveal a clear pattern: patients who took GLP-1 medications had a 37% higher risk of experiencing hair loss compared to those who received SGLT-2 inhibitors. The difference was even greater when compared to patients treated with DPP-4 inhibitors, with the risk increasing by 68% in this case.

Nevertheless, the overall likelihood of hair loss remains low, ranging between 3 and 9 cases per 1,000 people per year.

What type of hair loss is involved

The study specifies that the hair loss in question is non-scarring alopecia, a form in which the hair follicles remain intact. In practical terms, this means that hair could regrow once the situation stabilises.

The researchers were unable to establish a direct causal link between the medications and hair loss, but put forward several possible explanations. Rapid weight loss can disrupt the natural hair growth cycle, frequently leading to sudden shedding. Additionally, swift weight loss may cause temporary deficiencies in iron or zinc, and hormonal changes could also play a role.

The dataset analysed did not allow the severity of hair loss to be determined in the identified cases, nor whether hair regrew after treatment was discontinued.