In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, researchers found that semaglutide appeared to slow changes in DNA markers associated with biological aging in adults living with HIV. The study, published in Nature Communications, provides some of the strongest human evidence to date that a GLP-1 drug may affect molecular pathways tied to aging itself.
Looking Beyond Weight Loss
The study involved 108 adults with HIV-associated lipohypertrophy, a condition characterized by abnormal fat accumulation around the abdomen. Participants received either weekly semaglutide injections or placebo injections for 32 weeks.
Rather than focusing on traditional measures such as weight or blood sugar, the researchers examined biological age. To do this, they used a group of tools known as epigenetic clocks, which estimate how quickly the body is aging by analyzing DNA methylation patterns. These chemical modifications help regulate gene activity and can reveal age-related changes long before disease develops.
Epigenetic clocks have attracted growing interest because they often predict future health outcomes better than chronological age. Studies suggest that people whose biological age exceeds their actual age face a higher risk of disease and early death.