(NewsNation) — An active ingredient in some weight-loss drugs could help people suffering from osteoarthritis knee pain, a study by the manufacturer of Ozempic suggests.
Researchers found that patients who took semaglutide saw a nearly 50% reduction in pain.
That improvement was likely due to multiple factors, including diet, exercise and weight loss from Ozempic — but also semaglutide’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Who was involved in the study?
The study was conducted by Novo Nordisk — the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy.
It involved 400 participants, mostly women, who were, on average, 56 years old and considered overweight according to their body mass index.
All participants were also diagnosed with osteoarthritis, which impacts about 32 million Americans.
What do its findings suggest?
Health leaders say that aside from knee surgery, this is a remarking discovery for knee pain reduction, surpassing other treatments like steroid injections and or pain relievers, which might be harmful after long-term use.
Further research is needed to consider how effective semaglutide is for all osteoarthritis patients.
