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Can Ozempic end addiction? | Dhruv Khullar | Your Body on Tech
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The Many Conditions GLP-1s May Treat Beyond Addiction
At 32:00 · chapter starts 31:50
Manoush asks about off-label GLP-1 use, and Khullar opens up the full breadth of emerging evidence. Beyond diabetes and obesity, studies are showing benefits for cardiovascular risk, stroke, fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and even osteoarthritis [1] — Dhruv Khullar "GLP-1 affects fatty liver, kidney disease: Studies show GLP-1 medications can slow or even reverse fatty liver disease and chronic kidney d…" 31:32 . Some effects appear independent of weight loss entirely, pointing toward an anti-inflammatory mechanism. Khullar is careful to note he approached these claims with skepticism — and was surprised to find the evidence repeatedly holding up. He frames this as a genuinely novel drug class, not just another obesity pill, while warning that evidence is still catching up to real-world usage patterns.
More than half of patients stop GLP-1 medications within a year, whether from side effects, cost, or access. The sticker price can hit $1,300 a month. The drugs also cause muscle loss alongside fat loss, raising frailty concerns — which is why high-protein diets and strength training are essential companions. These are not simple, affordable, or side-effect-free drugs.
In some studies, half or more of people stop taking GLP-1 medications within a year of starting, limiting their long-term effectiveness.
The sticker price for GLP-1 medications can reach $1,000–$1,300 per month, making them inaccessible for many patients.
The first GLP-1 medication (exenatide) was approved around 2005–2006, meaning these drugs have a roughly 20-year safety track record, providing some reassurance about long-term effects.
