GLP-1 drugs linked to higher fracture risk, osteoporosis and gout, new studies suggest

GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy have transformed treatment for type 2 diabetes and obesity — but new research suggests doctors may need to pay closer attention to bone health, especially in older patients taking the drugs.

Older adults with type 2 diabetes who started GLP-1s had an 11% higher risk of fragility fractures compared to those taking other diabetes medications, a study published in February in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found.

Dr.