People living with HIV may experience accelerated biological aging compared with people without HIV. Even when HIV is well controlled with antiretroviral therapy , ongoing inflammation and immune system activation can contribute to earlier development of age-related conditions, such as cardiovascular disease , osteoporosis , and frailty.
Those living with HIV may also experience lipohypertrophy , which is the accumulation of fat in certain areas of the body. It is thought to result from a combination of HIV infection, chronic inflammation, and some antiretroviral treatments.
Semaglutide is the active ingredient in glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs , such as Ozempic and Wegovy . This medication can lead to significant weight loss, particularly by reducing body fat.
Originally investigating whether semaglutide could reduce excess fat in those with HIV-associated lipohypertrophy , a post hoc analysis suggests that the GLP-1 drug may not only reduce fat accumulation but may also slow biological aging .
Medical News Today published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 09 Jun 2026.
The item focuses on GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy may help slow biological aging.
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