Weight loss drugs could see men losing more than just fat
A new study suggests popular weight-loss drugs may do more than help people shed pounds.
Researchers at NYU Langone Health found that men who are genetically predisposed to male-pattern baldness may face an increased risk of hair loss if they use GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound.
The findings, published September 3 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology , provide what researchers say is the first genetic evidence linking GLP-1 activity to androgenetic alopecia, the most common form of hair loss in men.
General Practitioner Dr. Ahmed El Muntasar, who was not involved in the study, told Newsweek there are two possible explanations for the link.
A stock image of a man injecting his stomach with insulin.
He said: "Rapid weight loss, reduced calorie and protein intake, and deficiencies in nutrients such as iron can trigger temporary shedding, while in someone who already has a genetic predisposition to male-pattern hair loss, GLP-1 receptor activity may potentially contribute to that underlying process as well."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one in four adults with diagnosed diabetes used GLP-1 injectables in 2024. Usage rates were similar among men (25.9 percent) and women (27.2 percent).
First Genetic Evidence
"Our study provides the first genetic link between GLP-1 use and an increased risk of male-pattern hair loss from androgenetic alopecia, an association long suspected but until now not shown scientifically," study senior investigator Lynn Petukhova, an assistant professor in the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said in a statement.
The researchers found a 7 percent increased risk of hair loss. They focused on the GLP1R gene, which naturally increases levels of GLP-1 receptor proteins in the body.
The team compared genetic markers associated with increased GLP-1 activity with genetic markers linked to androgenetic alopecia, an inherited condition that causes hair loss along the top and front of the scalp.
Male-pattern baldness was selected because its genetic causes are better understood than hair loss in women, allowing researchers to investigate whether a causal relationship exists.
Beyond Rapid Weight Loss
Hair thinning has frequently been reported by people taking GLP-1 medications. Until now, scientists have largely attributed this to rapid weight loss, which can temporarily disrupt normal hair growth.
Many patients regain hair growth once their weight stabilizes. However, the researchers said the new findings point to a possible biological connection beyond weight loss alone.
To test the association, the team adjusted their analysis for other factors known to affect hair growth, including hypertension, insulin resistance and lower testosterone levels. The increased risk remained at 7 percent after these adjustments.
The study analyzed genetic data from more than 31,000 men and women in the eQTLGen database and more than 205,000 men in a separate complex traits genetics database. Most participants were white.
Because the researchers identified overlapping genetic signals linked to both GLP-1 activity and androgenetic alopecia, they say the findings strengthen the case for a biological relationship between the two.
What It Means for Patients
"Our findings suggest that, if future experiments prove successful, some men, and possibly women too, could be screened and benchmarked for their risk of hair loss before being prescribed GLP-1 medications," Petukhova said.
El Muntasar told Newsweek that men should not "panic or stop their treatment" based on the findings.
The owner of The Aesthetics Doctor in England said: "A 7 percent increase is relatively modest, and this research used genetic data and Mendelian randomization to investigate causality rather than following patients taking medications such as semaglutide or tirzepatide prospectively.
"It therefore gives us an important biological signal, rather than proving that taking a weight-loss injection will make somebody go bald."
Petukhova added that the findings could eventually support preventative treatment strategies, such as prescribing medications designed to reduce hair loss alongside GLP-1 therapies.
The researchers cautioned that further studies are needed to understand exactly how GLP-1-related pathways may affect hair follicles and whether the same genetic relationship exists in women.
Androgenetic alopecia is estimated to affect around half of white American men over age 50. As GLP-1 drugs continue to grow in popularity, the researchers say understanding potential side effects and identifying those most at risk will become increasingly important.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Kara Dolman and Gray R. Thomas
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