Study Links Ozempic, Mounjaro to 37%-68% Higher Hair Loss Risk
Updated
Updated · SciTechDaily · Aug 1
Study Links Ozempic, Mounjaro to 37%-68% Higher Hair Loss Risk
3 articles · Updated · SciTechDaily · Aug 1
Summary
BMJ-published research found adults with type 2 diabetes taking GLP-1 drugs had higher alopecia rates than users of two other diabetes drug classes, though the absolute risk remained low.
After adjustments, GLP-1 receptor agonists were tied to a 37% higher risk than SGLT-2 inhibitors and a 68% higher risk than DPP-4 inhibitors, with rates around 6.5-6.9 cases per 1,000 person-years.
Further analysis pointed to non-scarring alopecia, suggesting hair follicles remain intact and regrowth may be possible.
More than 12,000 GLP-1 users were compared with matched groups from Penn Medicine records spanning 2019 to 2024, but the observational design could not prove causation or track severity and reversibility.
Researchers said rapid weight loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic shifts may help explain the signal as semaglutide and tirzepatide become more widely used.