Can Weight Loss Drugs Benefit People With MS?
Obesity has been linked to worsened symptoms, higher disease severity and poorer outcomes for people with multiple sclerosis. Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy have become increasingly popular, and recent studies show that this class of drugs (known as GLP-1s) can be safe and well-tolerated for people with MS.Extra weight could affect symptoms and disease activity in these ways:
- Chronic inflammation: “Extra body fat triggers ongoing, low-level inflammation, releasing chemicals that can worsen inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, potentially making MS symptoms worse,” explains Afsaneh Shirani, MD, neurologist and associate director of Neuroscience Research and Medical Education at Saint Luke’s Marion Bloch Neuroscience Institute, Kansas City, Missouri.
- Immune system changes: “Obesity disrupts the balance of the immune system by increasing harmful immune cells, such as pro-inflammatory T cells, and reducing protective ones, such as regulatory T cells,” Shirani says. “This imbalance can potentially lead to more frequent MS relapses and faster disease progression.
Excerpted from the National MS Society
