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GLP-1 weight‑loss drugs linked to higher hair‑loss risk
A large observational study published in The BMJ examined over 50,000 adults with type‑2 diabetes who were prescribed GLP‑1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro). Compared with users of SGLT‑2 inhibitors, GLP‑1 users had a 37 % higher risk of being diagnosed with alopecia, and a 68 % higher risk compared with DPP‑4 inhibitor users. The absolute incidence was low, ranging from roughly three to nine new cases per 1,000 people per year. Researchers noted that the association may reflect rapid weight loss rather than a direct drug effect. Health regulators in the United States and United Kingdom have received increasing reports of hair‑loss events and are monitoring the signal. The authors advise clinicians to discuss the potential, albeit small, risk with patients.
The study used electronic health‑record data from the University of Pennsylvania Health System, matching about 12,000 GLP‑1 patients with 15,000 SGLT‑2 and 11,000 DPP‑4 patients, and adjusted for age, sex, BMI and other factors. While the findings show an elevated relative risk, they do not prove causation and suggest that hair loss is often temporary and reversible as weight stabilises.