GLP-1 Drugs for Diabetes and Weight Loss May also help Control Asthma Researchers based in the United Kingdom recently examined how GLP-1 agonist drugs impact asthma in people with obesity. People taking GLP-1 medications had better-controlled asthma overall, though there was no difference in lung function compared to those not taking GLP-1s. The study suggests that GLP-1 drugs may have anti-inflammatory effects that benefit the lungs. Healthcare providers often prescribe GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) or liraglutide (Victoza and Saxenda) for type 2 diabetes control and weight loss. As these medications increase in popularity, researchers are looking into other ways these drugs can be useful. Recent research shows that GLP-1 medications may reduce obesity-related cancer risk and may lower dementia risk. Researchers from the University of Aberdeen and the Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute in the United Kingdom recently examined how these medications impact asthma control in people with obesity. They found that people taking GLP-1 medications had better-controlled asthma overall. The findings are published in the journal Advances in Therapy. GLP-1 receptor agonists are a type of medication that mimic the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 to help regulate blood sugar, increase insulin secretion, reduce gastric emptying, and increase appetite satiety. These medications treat type 2 diabetes and assist in weight loss in people who are either overweight or have obesity. GLP-1s have shown anti-inflammatory effects, and since an inflammatory response triggers asthma, researchers in the current study wanted to see what effects these medications have on people with obesity and asthma. The study examined around 60,000 people, including more than 10,000 people with both obesity and asthma taking GLP-1 drugs and around 50,000 matched controls. The researchers used data from the Optimum Patient Care Research Database.