Diabetes Meds Like Ozempic, Farxiga Could Help Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease

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Newer diabetes medications may be doing more than improving blood sugar and reducing heart disease risk. Research now suggests these medications could help stave off Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

With funding from the National Institutes of Health, the study, which included more than 300,000 adults with Type 2 diabetes, produced results that suggest use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1 RAs, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, or SGLT2 inhibitors, were associated with a significant reduction in risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias compared with use of older medications, such as sulfonylureas or DPP4 inhibitors.

“It’s exciting that these diabetes medications may offer additional benefits, such as protecting brain health,” said Serena Jingchuan Guo, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy at the University of Florida, in a news release. “Based on our research, there is promising potential for GLP-1 RAs and SGLT2is to be considered for Alzheimer’s disease prevention in the future. As use of these drugs continues to expand, it becomes increasingly important to understand their real-world benefits and risks across populations.”

​Since their introduction, GLP-1 RAs and SGLT2 inhibitors have seen a significant rise in popularity among people with Type 2 diabetes. Popular medications within the classes include semaglutide (Ozempic) for GLP-1 RAs and dapagliflozin (Farxiga) and empagliflozin (Jardiance). In fact, all 3 of these agents are on the docket for inclusion in the ongoing Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program as a result of their use and popularity.

According to one study, between 2016 and 2021, prescriptions for GLP-1 RAs increased by 221%, while SGLT2 inhibitor prescriptions rose by 114.6%, reflecting growing confidence in their benefits beyond glucose control, such as weight loss and cardiovascular protection. Notably, semaglutide prescriptions surged by over 3,600% from 2018 to 2021, and empagliflozin saw a 559% increase during the same period. This trend underscores the expanding role of these medications in comprehensive diabetes care.

The study included nearly 400,000 adults aged 50 and older with Type 2 diabetes, using electronic health records from the OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Consortium between 2014 and 2023. Everyone in the study had diabetes but no prior dementia diagnosis or treatment for memory-related conditions.

The researchers grouped patients into three main comparisons:

1. GLP-1 RA users versus those starting other standard glucose-lowering drugs (like sulfonylureas or DPP-4 inhibitors).
2. SGLT2 inhibitor users versus those on other glucose-lowering drugs.
3. GLP-1 RA users versus SGLT2 inhibitor users.

The goal was to see whether starting one of these newer drugs affected the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias over time. The researchers used advanced statistical methods to balance out differences between groups — such as age, sex, body weight and other health factors — so they could more accurately compare outcomes.

In the first comparison, those who started GLP-1 RAs had a 33% lower risk of developing dementia than those on other diabetes medications. In the second comparison, those taking SGLT2 inhibitors had a 43% lower risk compared with the same standard medication group. In the third comparison — GLP-1 RAs versus SGLT2 inhibitors — there was no meaningful difference in dementia risk, suggesting both drugs offered a similar level of protection.

“Future research should focus on identifying heterogeneous treatment effects — specifically, determining which patients are most likely to benefit and who may be at greater risk for safety concerns,” Guo added.