While GLP-1 medications were originally developed to manage type 2 diabetes, a growing body of evidence is finding that they are doing far more than shrinking waistlines. From protecting the heart to easing joint pain, here’s what the latest research actually says about the other ways GLP-1s might be changing our health.
1. Protecting the heart
Perhaps the most significant discovery so far is what GLP-1 medications can do for cardiovascular health. A major real-world study led by Professor John Wilding at the University of Liverpool, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in 2026, tracked 89,718 US patients using a range of GLP-1 based treatments, including newer dual GIP/GLP-1 medications, and found that those who lost 15% or more of their BMI had 32% lower odds of heart failure than those who lost under 5%, while patients who gained weight had 69% higher odds.
The British Heart Foundation notes that GLP-1 injections have also been shown to improve several other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, adding to a growing picture that these drugs may support heart health through more than weight loss alone.
2. Supporting kidney function
Kidney health is another area where the evidence has moved quickly, and not just for the original single-hormone medications. A systematic review published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism found that dual GIP/GLP-1 treatment (tirzepatide) reduced albuminuria, a marker of kidney damage, and, in a post-hoc analysis of the SURPASS-4 trial, nearly halved the risk of major kidney complications versus insulin glargine, while also slowing the decline in kidney function among people with type 2 diabetes.
This builds on the same University of Liverpool research, which also found 30% lower odds of chronic kidney disease among patients who lost 15% or more of their BMI compared with those who lost under 5%.
3. Easing fatty liver disease
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, often referred to as MASH, is a serious liver condition closely linked to obesity and one that has had few effective treatments until now.
A 2025 review in Cell Reports Medicine outlined how both single- and dual-action GLP-1 medications have shown the ability to resolve steatohepatitis and improve liver scarring more often than a placebo – trial pooling suggests roughly double the odds of resolution and about 50% higher odds of fibrosis improvement – with benefits that appear only partly explained by weight loss itself.
For the many women quietly managing fatty liver disease alongside other health concerns, this represents a genuinely new avenue of treatment.
4. Improving sleep apnoea
Obstructive sleep apnoea affects a significant number of adults with obesity, often going undiagnosed for years. The University of Liverpool study also found that patients on GLP-1-based treatments, including dual GIP/GLP-1 medications, who achieved 15% or more weight loss, had 69% lower odds of obstructive sleep apnoea than those who lost under 5% – the largest effect seen across all conditions studied – while those who gained weight had 22% higher odds.
Earlier trial data has shown these medications can meaningfully reduce breathing interruptions during sleep, alongside improvements in blood pressure and markers of inflammation.
5. Reducing joint pain
Knee osteoarthritis and weight are closely connected, but researchers increasingly believe GLP-1 medications may ease joint pain beyond what would be expected from weight loss alone. A review of the anti-inflammatory effects of GLP-1-based therapies found reduced rates of osteoarthritis across several trials of both single and dual-hormone medications.
In the Liverpool cohort, those losing 15% or more of their BMI had 37% lower odds than those losing under 5% – with researchers pointing to lower levels of chronic inflammation, rather than weight loss alone, as a likely driver of the improvement.
6. Supporting hormone balance and fertility in PCOS
For the estimated one in 10 women of reproductive age living with polycystic ovary syndrome, GLP-1 medications are showing real promise. A 2026 meta-analysis in the European Journal of Endocrinology pooling 11 trials found modest BMI reductions but called evidence on menstrual regularity inconclusive.
Individual trials of liraglutide, though, have found improved bleeding regularity, lower testosterone and higher sex hormone-binding globulin in women with PCOS. Some studies have also reported improved ovulation rates and better outcomes for women undergoing fertility treatment when GLP-1 medication was used alongside other therapies.
7. Curbing alcohol cravings
One of the more unexpected findings to emerge from patient reports has since been picked up by researchers directly. A study from the University of Gothenburg, published in the journal eBioMedicine, found that in animal models, a dual GIP/GLP-1 medication cut voluntary alcohol consumption by more than half and blunted alcohol-triggered dopamine release in the brain’s reward pathways, measured directly via brain microdialysis.
It follows earlier human trial data showing that GLP-1 medication can reduce alcohol cravings and heavy drinking days, though researchers are clear that larger trials are still needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn.
So what does this mean going forward? Scientists are still working out exactly why GLP-1 medications appear to influence so many different systems in the body, though many point to their effect on chronic inflammation as a likely common thread.
What is increasingly clear is that these medications, in both their original and newer dual-hormone forms, may end up being valued for far more than weight loss alone. For anyone considering treatment, or already using it, these findings are a reminder to discuss the full picture with your prescribing pharmacist, and to see any potential benefits as part of a wider conversation about long-term health rather than a reason to seek treatment.
Ahsan Bhatti is superintendent pharmacist at licensed UK online pharmacy Quick Meds. For more information, visit www.quickmeds.co.uk
