An NIH-funded study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that semaglutide, the active ingredient in GLP-1 medications including Ozempic and Wegovy, may affect some biological features of aging in mice. The drug is already used to improve blood sugar control and reduce appetite, but researchers found that it also supported muscle function, cognition, tissue repair, and lifespan in older female mice.
The team treated 20-month-old mice with semaglutide for three months. Compared with untreated animals, the mice showed better physical and cognitive performance, reduced inflammation, and gene-activity patterns linked to improved maintenance and regeneration. In a separate lifespan experiment, mice receiving semaglutide lived nearly 100 days longer at the median than untreated mice.
Because semaglutide lowers food intake, researchers compared it with a 24 percent calorie-restricted diet matched to the treated animals’ consumption. Both approaches produced many similar results. However, semaglutide led to improvements beyond baseline in exploratory behavior, spatial memory, and blood-sugar regulation. It also maintained metabolic rate, while calorie restriction slowed metabolism.
The findings indicate that semaglutide may reproduce several effects associated with eating less while also acting through pathways independent of calorie restriction. Scientists say this possibility could help explain why GLP-1 drugs have demonstrated benefits across multiple age-related conditions. Since many chronic diseases are connected to aging, a treatment that influences underlying aging mechanisms could have broad clinical implications.
However, the study does not establish that semaglutide extends human lifespan or slows aging in people. The experiments involved older female mice, and animal findings do not always translate to humans. Further clinical trials would be required to assess effects in older adults, including those without obesity or diabetes. Researchers say future work should examine the drug’s mechanisms, long-term safety, and whether any benefits are independent of weight loss or reduced calorie intake.