Semaglutide slowed biological aging markers in an early UC San Diego trial

June 11, 2026 · Source: University of California

Researchers led by the University of California, San Diego have reported the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical evidence that semaglutide, the GLP-1 drug sold as Ozempic and Wegovy, may slow some markers of biological aging. The work was published in the journal Nature Communications.

The team re-analyzed data from an earlier clinical trial of 108 adults living with HIV who had HIV-associated lipohypertrophy, a condition that causes a buildup of fat around the midsection. About half of the participants received a weekly semaglutide injection and the rest received a placebo, across 32 weeks of treatment.

To estimate cellular aging, the researchers used a set of biological “epigenetic clocks.” These clocks read DNA methylation, chemical tags on DNA that influence whether genes are active without changing the genetic code itself. By tracking how those tags shifted, the team could compare the pace of biological aging between the two groups. Across several of the clocks, the semaglutide group showed a slower buildup of aging markers than the placebo group.

GLP-1 drugs are already widely used to treat obesity, lower blood sugar, and reduce cardiovascular risk, and researchers are now examining their other possible effects, including on aging. The authors frame this as an early finding in a specific group of patients and note that more research would be needed to tell whether the same effect holds in other people or leads to real health benefits.

Semaglutide is a prescription-only medicine. Whether it suits any individual, along with dosing, eligibility, and risks, is a matter for the product label and a prescriber. The study reports a change measured during the trial, not a treatment for aging.

General information, not medical advice. Care decisions are between you and a licensed prescriber.