GLP-1 affects fatty liver, kidney disease
Studies show GLP-1 medications can slow or even reverse fatty liver disease and chronic kidney disease, effects that appear independent of weight loss.
Snapshot · TED Talks Daily
Can Ozempic end addiction? | Dhruv Khullar | Your Body on Tech
Explore episode
Jun 26, 2026
Where this was said
Stigma, Neurobiology, and the MRI That Changed Khullar's View
At 31:32 · chapter starts 30:00
Manoush recalls the 1990s cultural shift when addiction began to be framed as genetic and neurobiological rather than a moral failing. She asks Khullar whether GLP-1s represent a new chapter in that evolution. He says yes — but stigma persists. Then he shares something deeply personal: he underwent the same fMRI protocol used with clinical trial participants, viewing photos of food and alcohol while his brain was scanned. The result was striking. His brain showed almost no activity in response to alcohol images; those with alcohol use disorder showed dramatically elevated responses in the same regions. That contrast — visceral, visual, and personal — drove home what years of medical training had only told him abstractly: much of addictive behavior is neurobiologically predetermined, happening before conscious decision-making even begins [1] — Dhruv Khullar "Dhruv Khullar underwent the same MRI protocol as clinical trial participants, viewing images of food and alcohol while his brain was scanne…" 28:55 .
The Breadth of GLP-1 Benefits Is Genuinely Shocking
Beyond weight and diabetes, GLP-1s appear to slow or reverse fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and osteoarthritis — and may reduce cardiovascular and stroke risk. Some effects appear independent of weight loss, pointing to a possible anti-inflammatory mechanism. Even a physician who approached these drugs with skepticism has been repeatedly surprised by the evidence.
The Downsides of GLP-1s: Cost, Dropout, and Muscle Loss
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.
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