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The Most Powerful Obesity Drug Yet Has a Hidden Benefit-and It Happens While You Sleep
Gizmodo • • health
Key Points:
- Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug retatrutide has been shown in two recent trials to significantly reduce symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in people with obesity, compared to a placebo.
- The trials included around 700 participants with OSA, both with and without type 2 diabetes, and found that more than half of retatrutide users experienced remission or improvement of their sleep apnea.
- Retatrutide mimics multiple hormones including GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon, and is considered one of the most potent obesity drugs to date, with FDA approval expected next year.
- While retatrutide shows promise in reducing OSA symptoms related to obesity, it may be less effective for people with OSA who are not overweight, and some patients may still require traditional treatments like positive airway pressure machines.
- GLP-1-based drugs, including Eli Lilly’s recently approved tirzepatide, are emerging as adjunct treatments for OSA, reflecting a broader trend toward pill-based therapies for the condition.
