🧬 Can Semaglutide Slow Down Aging? New Clinical Trial Suggests It Might
A new study suggests that semaglutide—a drug already approved for diabetes and obesity—may also slow biological aging, making it a promising candidate in the growing field of geroscience.
Researchers conducting a randomized, placebo-controlled trial have shown for the first time that semaglutide can significantly reduce epigenetic age, as measured by a battery of cutting-edge DNA methylation clocks—biomarkers that estimate how “old” your body is biologically, not just chronologically.
Published as a preprint on medRxiv (doi: 10.1101/2025.07.09.25331038), this trial adds to a growing body of research suggesting that metabolic drugs can influence the aging process itself.
🧪 What Was Studied?
The trial involved 84 adults with HIV-associated lipohypertrophy, a condition marked by excess visceral fat and signs of accelerated aging. Participants received either once-weekly semaglutide or a placebo for 32 weeks.
Using blood samples collected at the start and end of the study, researchers performed genome-wide DNA methylation profiling to estimate biological age across 17 different epigenetic clocks, including GrimAge, PhenoAge, DunedinPACE, and others that track system-specific aging (like inflammation, heart, and brain).
📉 The Results
After 32 weeks of treatment:
- Biological age decreased by:
- 3.1 years (PCGrimAge)
- 4.9 years (PhenoAge)
- 2.3 years (GrimAge V2)
- Pace of aging slowed by 9% (DunedinPACE)
- Reductions were also seen in multi-omic and transposable-element–focused clocks (OMICmAge and RetroAge)
The strongest effects were seen in clocks associated with mortality risk, metabolic health, and systemic inflammation. However, not all clocks responded—those measuring intrinsic capacity and resilience showed no significant change.
🧠 Why It Matters
This is the first randomized trial to show that an FDA-approved drug can reverse epigenetic aging signatures in humans.
Previous studies, like the CALERIE trial (caloric restriction) and DO-HEALTH (lifestyle interventions), have shown similar benefits. But semaglutide’s effects are notable for their magnitude, multi-organ impact, and therapeutic feasibility.
Researchers also observed decreased inflammatory markers and improved metabolic profiles, supporting the idea that improving metabolic health may slow aging.
“Semaglutide may act beyond weight loss—potentially rewiring inflammation and adipose tissue function at the epigenetic level,” the authors suggest.
🧬 What’s Next?
While this was a post-hoc analysis of an existing trial (not originally designed for aging outcomes), the results are compelling. The authors call for:
- Larger, longer-term trials in diverse populations
- Mechanistic studies on how semaglutide affects epigenetic memory in adipose tissue
- Direct comparison with other aging interventions
This study positions semaglutide—and possibly other GLP-1 receptor agonists—as first-in-class gerotherapeutics with the potential to extend healthspan and delay age-related diseases. Ozempic (semaglutide) is sold by Novo Nordisk.
📚 Reference
Corley MJ, et al. Semaglutide Slows Epigenetic Aging in People with HIV-associated Lipohypertrophy: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial.
medRxiv preprint
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