Can a “weight-loss jab” protect your heart even if the scales barely move? According to the biggest study of its kind, the answer is yes.
Researchers have found that semaglutide is the key ingredient in the popular drug Wegovy.
It reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke regardless of how much weight a person loses.
The trial, led by University College London and published in The Lancet, followed 17,604 overweight or obese adults across 41 countries.
Half received weekly semaglutide injections; the rest got a placebo.
Beyond Weight Loss
The results were striking: Those on semaglutide had a 20% lower risk of major heart events like heart attacks or strokes.
That benefit held steady no matter their weight loss.
But there was one catch. Shrinking waistlines, not overall kilos lost, seemed to matter more.
“Abdominal fat is more dangerous for our cardiovascular health,” explained Prof John Deanfield of UCL.
“About a third of the heart benefits came from reducing waist size—but two-thirds came from something else entirely.”
That “something else” could change how doctors view the drug. As Deanfield put it: “It’s labelled a weight-loss jab, but it’s really a heart and ageing drug.”
In other words—sometimes, it’s not just what you lose, but what you gain in protection.
