Weight loss injections are grabbing headlines left, right and centre for their effects on the population's health.
Medications such as Wegovy and Mounjaro are being used more and more for their ability to successfully aid significant weight loss, but experts are beginning to note that they could, in future, potentially be useful for treating other conditions.
It's worth noting that there are plenty of trials ongoing, and there is a lot more research still to be done before reporting on anything conclusive.
However, Dr Debra Marcos, Medical Director at Weight Medics, is just one expert in the field who is witnessing emerging and "exciting" data on how these drugs have potentially positive effects on other health issues such as mental health, cardiovascular diseases and PCOS.
Weight Medics state: "A study from the European Congress on Obesity found that GLP-1 drugs could lower the risk of heart attacks and stroke, while findings from a Nature Medicine review linked their use to reduced risk of dementia, and lower substance misuse rates.
"Researchers at the University of Bern in Switzerland also reported potential mental health benefits, including reductions in depressive symptoms."
Dr Debra Marcos, a clinical nutrition and gut health specialist with over 15 years' experience, shares her expert insight on why GLP-1 medications appear to work across such a wide spectrum of conditions - and what it could mean for future prescribing.
According to The Guardian, Dr Ed Beveridge, the presidential lead for physical health at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, welcomed the research on weight loss drugs and mental health.
"We know that, for a variety of reasons, many people with mental illness will have weight management issues," he told the newspaper.
"Therefore, where clinically assessed as suitable, it is crucial that they are regarded as a priority group for access to semaglutide medication, with appropriate monitoring arrangements in place following prescribing."
How GLP-1 medications could influence the future of health treatment
We already know that the GLP-1 medication Ozempic (semaglutide) is prescribed for treating Type 2 diabetes, which in turn often results in weight loss.
But a broad range of GLP-1 agonist medications could be beneficial for the conditions outlined above. To Debra, these early findings make sense given what we know about how GLP-1 drugs work.
"GLP-1 medications work by replicating a natural gut hormone that regulates appetite, but they also influence inflammation, blood sugar levels, and how different organs communicate with the brain.
"In conditions like PCOS, improving insulin sensitivity and stabilising blood sugar may support hormone balance and reduce symptoms."
She continued: "With cardiovascular illnesses, we're seeing evidence that these drugs can lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation in blood vessels.
"And when it comes to mental health, the emerging theory is that by calming food cravings and reducing inflammation in the brain, GLP-1s may help restore balance in the systems that influence mood and compulsive behaviours."
Why the jury is still out
Dr Debra Marcos is clear that although emerging data is "exciting" it's important to remember that it's very early stages.
"It's an exciting area of research, but very early days to be conclusive. These results don't mean GLP-1s are a cure-all, but they do highlight just how interconnected weight, metabolic health and chronic disease are. For patients with conditions like PCOS or cardiovascular risk, there could be meaningful benefits that go beyond weight loss."