For a while, it sounded almost too good to be true: the same GLP-1 drugs people use for diabetes and rapid weight loss might also protect the brain from Alzheimer’s. New data says… not so fast.
At the recent Clinical Trials in Alzheimer’s Disease meeting, researchers shared results from EVOKE and EVOKE+, two large, two-year studies testing oral semaglutide (Rybelsus) in almost 4,000 people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The goal was ambitious: show at least a 20% slowing of cognitive decline compared with placebo.
Instead, the trials found no meaningful difference in memory or thinking scores between those taking semaglutide and those on placebo. The drug did nudge a few biological markers in a better direction, like some measures of inflammation and Alzheimer’s pathology, but those changes were small and not clinically noticeable.
For Novo Nordisk, the company behind Ozempic and Wegovy, this is a major setback. Executives had referred to the Alzheimer’s program as a “lottery ticket” — high risk, high reward. With these results, they’re shutting down efforts to use semaglutide as an Alzheimer’s treatment and refocusing on metabolic disease.
So what does this mean if you’re on a GLP-1?
- GLP-1 drugs still work very well for blood sugar and weight loss when prescribed appropriately. Nothing in these trials changes that.
- But the idea that a weekly shot might also double as a dementia shield doesn’t match the evidence — at least not with this specific drug, dose and patient group.
- Observational studies that hinted at lower dementia risk in people on GLP-1s now look more uncertain; some experts say those patterns may be explained by better overall medical care and socioeconomic factors, not the drug itself.
The Alzheimer’s Association has called the results disappointing but says the broader GLP-1 class may still be worth studying, especially in combination with other approaches. For now, though, proven brain basics still matter most: steady movement, good sleep, blood pressure control, social connection and managing metabolic health the old-fashioned way.
If you’re using a GLP-1, the takeaway is simple: it can be a powerful tool for weight and blood sugar — just don’t rely on it as your brain-health insurance policy.
