Browse evidence-based analysis of health-related claims and assertions
Semaglutide might help protect knee cartilage and reduce joint swelling in osteoarthritis, even without people losing weight.
Diabetes drugs called GLP-1 agonists might help people overcome addictions by reducing how pleasurable substances like alcohol, nicotine, and opioids feel in the brain.
If you're obese and have heart disease but not diabetes, taking semaglutide might lower your chances of having a serious heart problem by 20%.
A chemical from Gila monster spit lasts longer in the body than a natural hormone because it doesn’t break down as quickly, so it keeps working longer to control blood sugar.
A diabetes drug made from Gila monster spit doesn't just help blood sugar — it can also help people lose weight, protect the heart, and even reduce cravings for things like alcohol or drugs.
People with obesity and knee arthritis who took a weekly semaglutide shot for over a year felt physically better than those who took a dummy shot — their ability to do everyday physical activities improved more, by about twice as much.
A weekly semaglutide shot helped people with obesity and knee pain from arthritis feel a lot better—much more than those who got a dummy shot.
A weekly shot called semaglutide helped people with obesity and bad knee arthritis lose way more weight—about 13.7% of their body weight—compared to a fake shot that only led to 3.2% loss, and that weight loss might help their joint pain feel better.
Semaglutide might protect knee cartilage in arthritis, and it's not just because people lose weight — it seems to work directly on the joint, even when diet is kept the same.
Semaglutide might help protect cartilage in arthritis by changing how joint cells make energy, switching them from a fast-burning mode to a more efficient one when there's inflammation.
Semaglutide might help slow down joint damage in people with metabolic issues, even beyond just helping them lose weight — it could be protecting the joints directly.
If older adults who are overweight or obese and don't move much have less weight, their knees may twist less when they walk — which could be easier on their joints.
If older adults who are overweight or obese have knee arthritis, carrying less weight means their knees feel less force when they walk — and that’s backed by solid data.
If you're an older adult who doesn't move much and has extra weight plus knee arthritis, carrying more body weight means your knees get squished harder when you walk.
If older adults who are overweight or obese and have knee arthritis lose 1 kilogram of weight, their knees experience less strain when walking — about 1.4% less stress per kilo lost — which might help protect the inner part of the knee.
If older adults with extra weight and knee arthritis lose 1 kilogram, their knees experience about 4 times less force with each step — which could really add up to less wear and tear over time.
Scientists are designing 3D-printed scaffolds with different layers that copy the natural structure of cartilage and bone underneath, so new tissue grows in the right way and sticks better.
Stem cells from fat, bone marrow, and other tissues might be able to turn into cartilage cells and help repair joints, but scientists are still working on keeping them in place and making sure they work properly.
Tiny bits of RNA that don’t make proteins might help control how cartilage cells grow and repair, which means they could be used in gene treatments to fix damaged cartilage.
Scientists are trying to fix damaged joint cartilage by building tiny scaffolds that act like the real thing, and adding cells and healing signals to help the body regrow healthy tissue.
Your joint cartilage doesn't heal well on its own because it has no blood supply and very few repair cells, making injuries and conditions like arthritis hard to fix.
If you're an adult with type 2 diabetes and kidney problems and you're already on certain blood pressure meds, taking a weekly semaglutide shot might lower your chance of dying from any cause by 20% over about 3 years.
For adults with type 2 diabetes and kidney problems, taking a weekly semaglutide shot (like Ozempic) cuts their risk of heart attack, stroke, or dying from heart issues by 18% compared to a dummy shot.
For people with type 2 diabetes and kidney problems who are on certain blood pressure medicines, taking a weekly semaglutide shot might lower their chance of dying from heart issues by almost a third over about 3 years.