Body composition
How much weight did people actually lose?
The most heavily measured outcome on this site, and the one where the number in the trial and the number in the advert are furthest apart.
39,505
people in trials
98
human studies
17
compounds, animal or cell only
12
trials found nothing
Measured in people
Ranked by how many people, which is a fact about the evidence and not a judgement about the compound. The one at the top is the most studied, which is not the same as the best. Counts are never added across compounds, because the same person can appear in more than one trial.
- 4,623 people2 human studies
3,417 adults: 20.4% weight loss at 68 weeks versus 3.0% with placebo (treatment-policy estimand); 22.7% by trial-product estimand.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 · 3,417 people
1,206 patients with type 2 diabetes: 13.7% weight loss at 68 weeks versus 3.4% with placebo.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 · 1,206 people
- 4,418 people2 human studies
2,539 adults without diabetes: mean weight change at 72 weeks of -15.0% (5 mg), -19.5% (10 mg) and -20.9% (15 mg) versus -3.1% with placebo.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2022 · 2,539 people
1,879 patients over 40 weeks: all tirzepatide doses were noninferior and superior to semaglutide 1 mg for HbA1c, with greater weight loss (up to -5.5 kg more at 15 mg).
New England Journal of Medicine, 2021 · 1,879 people
What people using it report
- A rate of loss of roughly half a percent to one percent of body weight per week is repeatedly described as the normal pace, and slower loss is commonly recommended by other users as the way to limit loose skin. People who lose faster than that describe being uneasy about it.
- 3,755 people2 human studies
REDEFINE 1, 3,417 participants. Estimated mean weight change from baseline to week 68 was 20.4% on cagrilintide-semaglutide against 3.0% on placebo, a difference of 17.3 percentage points. Gastrointestinal adverse events affected 79.6% of the combination group against 39.9% on placebo. A developed, co-formulated amylin and incretin combination does exist and has been trialled at scale; it is not this one.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 · 3,417 people
338 adults with obesity. Least-squares mean weight change at 48 weeks was 8.7% on 1 mg, 17.1% on 4 mg, 22.8% on 8 mg and 24.2% on 12 mg, against 2.1% on placebo. At 12 mg, 83% lost 15% or more of body weight against 2% on placebo. The most common adverse events were gastrointestinal, dose-related, and partially mitigated by a lower 2 mg starting dose. Dose-dependent increases in heart rate were reported. Retatrutide alone.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2023 · 338 people
What people using it report
- Fast weight loss with visible muscle loss, reported by people not resistance training.
- 3,731 people1 human study
3,731 adults without diabetes: mean weight loss of 8.4 kg with liraglutide 3.0 mg vs 2.8 kg with placebo at 56 weeks; 63.2% vs 27.1% lost at least 5%. Basis of the Saxenda obesity approval.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2015 · 3,731 people
- 3,675 people3 human studies
1,961 adults without diabetes: mean body weight change of -14.9% at 68 weeks with semaglutide 2.4 mg versus -2.4% with placebo; 86.4% lost 5% or more.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2021 · 1,961 people
1,407 adults: -18.7% body weight at 72 weeks on 7.2 mg versus -15.6% on 2.4 mg and -3.9% on placebo; dysaesthesia reported by 22.9% on 7.2 mg.
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2025 · 1,407 people
307 adults randomized 2:1: oral semaglutide 25 mg produced -13.6% body weight at week 64 versus -2.2% with placebo (treatment-policy estimand); GI adverse events in 74.0% vs 42.2%.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 · 307 people
- 3,417 people2 human studies
REDEFINE 1. 3,417 participants randomised to cagrilintide-semaglutide, semaglutide alone, cagrilintide alone or placebo. Estimated mean body weight change to week 68 was 20.4% on the combination against 3.0% on placebo, a difference of 17.3 percentage points. Gastrointestinal adverse events affected 79.6% of the combination group against 39.9% on placebo, mainly transient and mild to moderate. This is the combination itself, tested as a combination.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 · 3,417 people
STEP 1. Semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly gave a 14.9% mean weight change at 68 weeks against 2.4% on placebo. This is the single-agent comparator that the combination is measured against.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2021 · no headcount in the line
What people using it report
- Fast early weight loss followed by a plateau.
- 3,127 people3 human studies
Phase 3, 3,127 adults: 11.2% weight loss at 72 weeks on 36 mg versus 2.1% with placebo (treatment-regimen estimand); 36% lost 15% or more.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 · 3,127 people
Phase 2: 9.4% to 14.7% weight loss at 36 weeks across doses versus 2.3% with placebo; GI events mostly mild to moderate.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2023 · no headcount in the line
April 1, 2026 approval announcement; quotes 12.4% (27.3 lb) weight loss on the highest dose in ATTAIN-1 by the efficacy estimand.
Eli Lilly press release, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- 2,004 people3 human studies
Phase 3a, 1,206 patients: -13.7% body weight at 68 weeks with CagriSema vs -3.4% with placebo; 73.5% reached HbA1c of 6.5% or lower.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 · 1,206 people
706 participants over 26 weeks: cagrilintide monotherapy produced 6.0% to 10.8% weight loss across doses vs 3.0% with placebo; 4.5 mg beat liraglutide 3.0 mg (10.8% vs 9.0%).
The Lancet, 2021 · 706 people
92 adults with type 2 diabetes over 32 weeks: body weight change of -15.6% with CagriSema vs -5.1% with semaglutide alone and -8.1% with cagrilintide alone (NCT04982575).
The Lancet, 2023 · 92 people
- 1,341 people2 human studies
Phase 3 in 731 adults: both mazdutide doses were superior to dulaglutide 1.5 mg for HbA1c and produced 3.8 to 5.8 percentage points more weight loss at 28 weeks.
Nature, 2026 · 731 people
Phase 3 in 610 adults: mean weight change of minus 10.1% (4 mg) and minus 12.6% (6 mg) versus plus 0.5% on placebo at week 32.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 · 610 people
- 901 people1 human study
Phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging. 901 participants treated with at least one dose, 512 in the type 2 diabetes cohort and 389 in the obesity cohort. Terminated early for safety reasons after routine data and monitoring review, with planned analyses modified before unblinding. HbA1c fell across all doses at week 16 (p < 0.0001), by up to 1.44 percent (90% CI minus 1.63 to minus 1.26) against minus 0.07 percent on placebo. Weight fell across all doses at week 20 (p < 0.01), by up to 7.47 percent (90% CI minus 8.50 to minus 6.43) against minus 1.84 percent on placebo. Most participants on higher doses did not reach their target maintenance dose. Nausea ranged from 4 percent on placebo to 28.8 percent at 80 mg in diabetes, and 12.5 percent on placebo to 60.6 percent at 200 mg in obesity.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2025 · 901 people
- 899 people3 human studies1 found nothing
834 adults with type 2 diabetes and BMI 25 or more on metformin, randomised to cotadutide 100 mcg (100), 200 mcg (256) or 300 mcg (256), placebo (110) or open-label liraglutide 1.8 mg (110) for 54 weeks. HbA1c and weight fell against placebo at weeks 14 and 54 (all P below 0.001). Weight loss at 300 mcg exceeded liraglutide; liver enzymes and fibrosis scores improved at 300 mcg but not with liraglutide. Nausea 35 percent, vomiting 17 percent. Funded by AstraZeneca (registry NCT03235050, results posted 2020).
Diabetes Care, 2021 · 834 people
Phase 2a, 65 adults with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity, 49 days of daily cotadutide (50 to 300 mcg) or placebo. Postprandial glucose area under the curve fell 21.5 percent against a 6.3 percent rise on placebo (P below 0.001); weight fell 3.41 percent against 0.08 percent (P equals 0.002); postprandial insulin rose and gastric emptying half-time lengthened by about two hours. Sponsor funded.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2020 · 65 people
found nothingPhase 2a energy balance study; 12 cotadutide and 7 placebo completers over 42 days. Weight change minus 4.0 percent against minus 1.4 percent (P equals 0.011); energy intake fell 41.3 percent against placebo; energy expenditure by doubly labelled water did not differ (1.0 percent, P equals 0.784). Weight loss was driven by eating less, not by burning more. Funded by AstraZeneca.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2024 · no headcount in the line
Also measured, in animals or cells
Mouse models of steatohepatitis. Weight, food intake and glucose effects ran mainly through GLP-1 signalling; liver lipid, glycogen flux and mitochondrial effects through the glucagon receptor. Cotadutide reduced fibrosis more than liraglutide or obeticholic acid at matched weight loss. This is animal and mechanistic work with AstraZeneca employee authors; it has been miscited elsewhere as a human randomised trial and is not one.
Nature Metabolism, 2020 · animal
- 741 people2 human studies
Multicentre double-blind placebo-controlled phase 3 in 427 non-diabetic Chinese adults, randomised 2:1 to 0.2 mg subcutaneously three times daily or placebo for 16 weeks. Mean body weight change was minus 6.0 percent against minus 2.4 percent, a difference of 3.6 percentage points. 58.2 percent versus 25.4 percent lost at least 5 percent and 21.3 percent versus 5.1 percent lost at least 10 percent. Nausea occurred in 49.3 percent against 7.1 percent, and 5.9 percent discontinued for adverse events against 0.7 percent. Weight regain 12 weeks after stopping was reported at 0.78 percent.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2024 · 427 people
Retrospective observational data on 314 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes treated between 2017 and 2018. After three months, weight fell 10.05 kg and glycated haemoglobin 2.87 percentage points, with 84.96 percent losing at least 5 percent of body weight. These figures are far larger than the randomised phase 3 produced, which is what uncontrolled retrospective selection does to effect estimates, and they should not be quoted as the drug's effect size.
Obesity Science and Practice, 2019 · 314 people
Also measured, in animals or cells
Diet-induced obese mice. Treated animals showed lower body weight, fat mass and plasma lipids, improved insulin sensitivity in white adipose tissue, and changes in the content and composition of glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids alongside altered expression of lipid metabolism genes. A mouse mechanism study; none of these lipidomic endpoints has been measured in a human trial of this drug.
iScience, 2021 · animal
- 684 people2 human studies
52-week trial in 480 patients with type 1 diabetes: pramlintide lowered HbA1c by 0.67% versus 0.16% for placebo at week 13, with weight loss rather than gain and no rise in severe hypoglycemia.
Diabetes Care, 2002 · 480 people
16 weeks in 204 obese subjects without insulin: placebo-corrected weight loss of 3.7% (3.6 kg), showing the amylin pathway's appetite effect that later informed cagrilintide.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2007 · 204 people
- 664 people2 human studies
664 Chinese adults: 9.1% to 13.2% weight loss at 40 weeks versus 0.1% with placebo; 87% on 2.4 mg lost at least 5%.
The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, 2025 · 664 people
March 6, 2026 approval; 15.4% mean weight loss at 48 weeks on 2.4 mg (placebo-adjusted 15.1%).
Sciwind Biosciences press release, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- 603 people2 human studies
46-week trial in 387 adults without diabetes: mean weight change of minus 14.9% at 4.8 mg weekly versus minus 2.8% on placebo; gastrointestinal adverse events were common.
The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, 2024 · 387 people
Phase 3 in 216 adults: 84% on survodutide 6 mg versus 24% on placebo achieved at least a 30% liver-fat reduction, with minus 12.2% versus minus 1.0% body weight at 48 weeks.
Nature Medicine, 2026 · 216 people
- 592 people2 human studies
592 participants: 12.3% to 16.2% weight loss at 52 weeks in the obesity cohort versus 2.5% with placebo (treatment-policy estimand), with no plateau.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 · 592 people
Up to about 20% weight loss (efficacy estimand) in obesity and about 17% with type 2 diabetes at 52 weeks; Phase 3 MARITIME program initiated.
Amgen press release, 2025 · no headcount in the line
- 507 people1 human study
507 adults: weight change at 48 weeks was -17.8 kg for high-dose combination, -14.2 kg semaglutide alone, -9.3 kg bimagrumab alone, -3.3 kg placebo.
Nature Medicine, 2026 · 507 people
- 493 people2 human studies
March 5, 2026: 493 participants; up to 10.7% mean weight loss at 42 weeks versus 1.7% with placebo; Phase 3 to start later in 2026.
Zealand Pharma press release, 2026 · 493 people
Well tolerated with mostly mild GI events and clinically relevant weight loss; supports development for weight management.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- 340 people2 human studies
Double-blind placebo-controlled phase 2b trial, 340 Chinese adults with overweight or obesity, mean age 33.1 years and mean weight 95.6 kg, randomised across five dose groups. Mean percentage change in body weight from baseline to week 30 ranged from minus 9.75 to minus 16.69 percent with bofanglutide against minus 1.15 percent with placebo. Adverse events occurred in 98.9 percent of the bofanglutide group against 86.4 percent of placebo and were mostly grade 1 to 2 gastrointestinal events, in 83.9 percent against 33.3 percent. 84.1 percent completed the trial. Several authors are Gan and Lee employees or shareholders.
Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 2026 · 340 people
The earlier and much smaller weight-management trial under the development code. Sixty participants enrolled, 46 completed. Least-squares mean change in body weight was minus 9.36 percent for GZR18 against 6.68 percent for placebo in part A, and minus 17.8 percent weekly and minus 12.8 percent every two weeks against 0.7 percent for placebo in part B. With 46 completers this is a dose-finding exercise, not an efficacy result, and the authors say as much in concluding that larger and longer trials are warranted.
Cell Reports Medicine, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- 338 people1 human study
338 adults over 48 weeks: least-squares mean body weight change of -24.2% at 12 mg, -22.8% at 8 mg and -17.1% at 4 mg versus -2.1% with placebo.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2023 · 338 people
What people using it report
- The dose people describe starting on for weight loss clusters around 2 mg weekly, and the most repeated piece of advice is that people who are already lean and using it to cut find that starting dose considerably stronger than people using it for obesity do. Starting lower is the standard suggestion in that second group.
- 336 people1 human study
336 patients at 82 US sites: HbA1c fell 0.78% (10 mcg twice daily) and 0.40% (5 mcg) versus a 0.08% rise on placebo, with dose-dependent weight loss of up to 2.8 kg.
Diabetes Care, 2005 · 336 people
- 273 people1 human study
273 treatment-naive adults at 30 Chinese centres, randomised 1:1 to 150 micrograms weekly or placebo for 24 weeks, then all on active drug to week 52. At week 24 glycated haemoglobin fell 1.36 percentage points against 0.63 on placebo, a difference of 0.73 points. 50.4 percent reached below 7.0 percent against 14.2 percent. Rescue therapy was needed by 3 participants on drug against 17 on placebo. Weight loss was reported as BMI-dependent and reached 4.77 kg at week 52 in those with BMI above 32, with a standard deviation of 13.94 kg, which is wide enough to warrant caution. Funded by PegBio.
The Lancet Regional Health Western Pacific, 2024 · 273 people
- 235 people2 human studies
235 adults with BMI 28 to 40 randomised across four doses and placebo. At week 26 mean weight change was -9.36% on 180 mg against -2.50% on placebo (placebo-adjusted -6.87%); gastrointestinal events were the most common and were mostly mild to moderate.
Nature Communications, 2026 · 235 people
About 11% weight loss at 50 weeks; HbA1c down 1.5% to 1.7%.
Kailera press release, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- 204 people1 human study
Phase 2, 204 participants actual, started 27 June 2024, completed 12 February 2025, status TERMINATED. Primary outcomes were mean percent change in body weight for the once-daily and twice-daily azelaprag arms. The registry's stated reason for stopping, verbatim: dosing of both study drugs was discontinued due to observation of liver transaminitis without clinically significant symptoms in some subjects receiving azelaprag. No efficacy results have been posted.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06515418 (STRIDES), BioAge Labs, 2025 · 204 people
- 203 people2 human studies
Phase 2, 203 patients: 4.5%, 9.2% and 10.6% weight loss at 24 weeks versus 2.0% with placebo; heart rate rose 7.4 bpm at 0.5 mg.
The Lancet, 2008 · 203 people
Phase 2 sub-study: weight loss was driven mainly by reduced appetite and energy intake.
Obesity, 2012 · no headcount in the line
- 192 people1 human study1 found nothing
found nothingThe largest and longest diabetes trial here: 192 patients, 40 or 500 mg per day for six months. CRP fell 5.6% and 15.9% versus placebo but not significantly, and there was no significant change in weight, BMI, waist, blood pressure, fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin, C-peptide, free fatty acids, liver enzymes, uric acid, adiponectin or IL-6. Total cholesterol and triglycerides rose slightly on 500 mg. Subgroups with shorter diabetes duration did show a significant CRP reduction.
Pharmacological Research, 2016 · 192 people
- 190 people2 human studies
Two-stage seamless adaptive trial in drug-naive adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Phase 2b randomised 140 participants across 1, 2 and 3 mg weekly and placebo; phase 3 randomised a further 297 to 1 mg, 3 mg or placebo. At week 24 glycated haemoglobin fell 1.73 percentage points on 1 mg and 2.15 on 3 mg, with treatment differences against placebo of 1.26 and 1.68 percentage points. 56 percent and 68 percent reached a glycated haemoglobin below 7.0 percent. Body weight fell 0.97 percent on 1 mg and 3.14 percent on 3 mg, and only the 3 mg weight difference against placebo was significant. Sponsored by Innogen Pharmaceutical; the corresponding author is the company's founder.
Diabetologia, 2026 · 140 people
The entire published obesity efficacy record: 50 participants across five dose cohorts and placebo, mean baseline weight 92.9 kg. Mean weight reduction was 7.16 percent against 0.86 percent on placebo, and 82.5 percent of treated participants lost at least 5 percent against none on placebo. Fat mass fell 4.47 kg and lean mass also fell 2.00 kg. This is a 50 person dose-ranging study, not an obesity efficacy trial, and the compound is not approved for weight management.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2026 · 50 people
Also measured, in animals or cells
Diabetic rhesus monkeys. A single subcutaneous injection transiently reduced blood glucose dose-dependently; over four weeks of weekly dosing fasting and random glucose fell dose-dependently with declining plasma fructosamine, body weight decreased alongside reduced food intake, glucose tolerance improved and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion increased. A monkey study, indexed under the development name, and one of the reasons a search on supaglutide makes an approved medicine look preclinical.
Journal of Endocrinology, 2021 · animal
- 159 people1 human study1 found nothing
found nothing159 patients with cancer and at least 2% weight loss, randomised to enobosarm 1 mg, 3 mg or placebo for up to 113 days. Total lean body mass rose significantly on both doses (median 1.5 kg on 1 mg, 1.0 kg on 3 mg) while placebo did not change. This is the Phase 2 trial that preceded the POWER Phase 3 program.
The Lancet Oncology, 2013 · 159 people
- 145 people1 human study1 found nothing
found nothing145 participants with liver fat content of 10 percent or more, randomised 1:1 to efinopegdutide 10 mg or semaglutide 1 mg weekly for 24 weeks, open-label. Mean baseline BMI 34.3 and liver fat 20.3 percent; 33.1 percent had type 2 diabetes. Relative reduction in liver fat 72.7 percent (90% CI 66.8 to 78.7) against 42.3 percent (90% CI 36.5 to 48.1), p < 0.001. Body weight reduction 8.5 percent against 7.1 percent, p = 0.085, not significant. Slightly higher adverse events on efinopegdutide, mainly gastrointestinal.
Journal of Hepatology, 2023 · 145 people
- 127 people1 human study
127 adults (54 lean, 73 obese), randomised double-blind placebo-controlled, daily recombinant methionyl human leptin at 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.1 or 0.3 mg/kg, 4 weeks for all and 24 weeks for obese participants on a 500 kcal/day deficit. Dose-dependent weight loss (p 0.02 at 4 weeks, p 0.01 at 24 weeks): 4-week change -0.4 kg on placebo to -1.9 kg at 0.1 mg/kg; 24-week change -0.7 kg (n 6) to -7.1 kg, SD 8.5 (n 8). Injection site reactions most common. Baseline leptin did not predict response. Industry and US government funded.
JAMA, 1999 · 127 people
- 126 people1 human study
MBL949, a half-life extended recombinant GDF15 dimer. Phase 1: 65 overweight or obese healthy volunteers, single doses 0.03 to 20 mg, terminal half-life 18 to 22 days, evidence of weight loss at higher doses. Phase 2: 126 participants with obesity, five dose regimens every other week for 8 doses over 14 weeks; weight loss was minimal. Gastrointestinal adverse events were most frequent. The authors conclude that the robust weight loss in mice, rats, dogs and monkeys did not translate to humans. Company-developed compound.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2025 · 126 people
Also measured, in animals or cells
Recombinant GDF15 induced weight loss in mice on a high-fat diet and in non-human primates with spontaneous obesity. GDF15 binds GFRAL, expressed in area postrema and nucleus of the solitary tract neurons in mice and humans; deleting GFRAL abolished the food intake and weight effects in mice. Signalling requires the co-receptor RET.
Nature Medicine, 2017 · animal
- 125 people1 human study
125 participants: weight fell 22.0% (20 mg) and 24.3% (60 mg) at 36 weeks versus about 1% to 2% gain with placebo; GI events common.
The Lancet, 2025 · 125 people
- 104 people2 human studies
64 Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes randomised to BGM0504 at 5, 10 or 15 mg, placebo, or semaglutide 1 mg, all weekly for 12 weeks. Mean glycated haemoglobin change was minus 1.72, minus 1.94 and minus 2.48 percentage points against minus 1.43 for semaglutide and plus 0.28 for placebo. The 15 mg dose showed greater weight reduction than semaglutide. The authors describe the findings as a signal throughout, which is appropriate for 12 participants per arm over 12 weeks. Five authors are BrightGene employees who may hold stock.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2026 · 64 people
40 healthy Chinese volunteers, single 2.5 mg dose and weekly titration to 5, 10 and 15 mg. Maximum concentration and area under the curve were linearly proportional to dose across 2.5 to 15 mg, supporting weekly dosing. Body weight change from baseline was minus 3.24, minus 6.26, minus 7.09 and minus 8.30 percent at 2.5, 5, 10 and 15 mg. Gastrointestinal events, vomiting, nausea, decreased appetite, diarrhoea and abdominal distension, were the most frequent adverse events. These weight figures are from healthy volunteers over a short dosing period, not from people with obesity.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2025 · 40 people
- 103 people1 human study
26 week phase 2 in 103 adults with type 2 diabetes, body mass index at least 27 and glycated haemoglobin 7.0 to 10.0 percent, randomised to once-daily CT-868 1.75 mg, 4.0 mg or placebo. Glycated haemoglobin fell 1.61 to 2.24 percentage points against placebo. Body weight fell only 2.9 percent against placebo on 4.0 mg. Fasting glucose, self-monitored glucose and most lipid parameters improved. No participant experienced hypoglycaemia. COVID-19 supply constraints meant some participants assigned 4.0 mg received a maximum of 3.25 mg and were analysed as a separate arm. Most authors are current or former Roche or Carmot employees.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2026 · 103 people
- 38 people2 human studies
38 patients: 32.3% of those aged 12 or older with Bardet-Biedl syndrome reached at least 10% weight loss after 52 weeks (p=0.0006); results in Alstrom syndrome were inconclusive.
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2022 · 38 people
At about one year, 8 of 10 (80%) POMC-deficiency and 5 of 11 (45%) LEPR-deficiency participants lost at least 10% of body weight, with hunger scores down 27% and 44%; hyperpigmentation and injection-site reactions were near-universal.
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2020 · no headcount in the line
- 24 people1 human study1 found nothing
found nothingSix months of rhGH in 24 GH-deficient adults raised lean mass by 5.5 kg and cut fat mass by 5.7 kg versus placebo, with no change in body weight.
New England Journal of Medicine, 1989 · 24 people
- 23 people1 human study1 found nothing
found nothing23 women randomised double-blind to 250 mg of a 10 percent Coleus forskohlii extract twice daily (n equals 7) or placebo (n equals 12) for 12 weeks. No significant differences in fat mass, fat-free mass or body fat percentage. Non-significant trends toward mitigating gains in body mass (p equals 0.10) and scanned mass (p equals 0.08). Treated participants reported less hunger and fullness. No clinically significant changes in blood lipids, liver or muscle enzymes, thyroid hormones, insulin, heart rate or blood pressure. The authors concluded it does not appear to promote weight loss but may help mitigate weight gain.
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2005 · 23 people
- 18 people1 human study1 found nothing
found nothingSingle-centre, double-blind crossover in 18 adults with faecal output of 1,500 g a day or more, two 3 week periods of daily injections at 0.1, 1 or 10 mg; 16 completed. Faecal wet weight fell 592 g per day at 1 mg (95 percent CI 272 to 913) and 833 g per day at 10 mg (515 to 1,152); no change at 0.1 mg. Treatment-related adverse events: stoma complications 72 percent, injection site reactions 61 percent, peripheral oedema 56 percent, nausea and abdominal pain 44 percent each. Funded by Zealand Pharma.
Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2019 · 18 people
- 16 people1 human study1 found nothing
found nothing16 healthy men, mean age 29, randomised to eight weeks of resistance training alone (n equals 7) or with ursolic acid (n equals 9), one capsule three times daily. Body fat percentage fell significantly in the supplemented group (p less than 0.001) while body weight, body mass index, lean body mass, glucose and insulin were unchanged. IGF-1 and irisin rose from baseline in the supplemented group, as did several maximal extension and flexion measures.
Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 2014 · 16 people
- 7 people1 human study1 found nothing
found nothing7 heart failure patients on a left ventricular assist device given oral clenbuterol up-titrated to 720 micrograms a day for 3 months. No serious adverse events or arrhythmias, creatine phosphokinase rose in 4 patients. Ejection fraction did not improve and end-diastolic dimension increased; body weight and lean mass rose and quadriceps maximal voluntary contraction improved from 37.0 to 45.8 kg. Cardiac function did not improve.
The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, 2006 · 7 people
- 3 people1 human study
Phase 1 over 28 days and phase 2 over 12 weeks, both randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled. Phase 1 produced dose-dependent weight loss with statistically significant reductions against placebo at all doses, plus reduced appetite and delayed gastric emptying. Phase 2 produced significantly greater mean percentage weight loss at doses of 500 mg and above at week 12. Gastrointestinal adverse events were class-consistent and dose-related. Three participants in phase 2 experienced transaminase elevations consistent with potential drug-induced liver injury, and those liver safety findings led to discontinuation of clinical development.
Obesity, 2026 · 3 people
- 1 people2 human studies1 found nothing
found nothingA fully human antibody activating the leptin receptor with or without leptin. In obese leptin knockout mice it normalised body weight, food intake, blood glucose and insulin sensitivity. In a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled two-part phase 1 it was well tolerated. Verbatim: treatment of individuals with overweight or obesity decreased body weight over 12 weeks in those with low circulating leptin concentrations, under 8 ng/mL, but had no effect on body weight in individuals with higher baseline leptin. Compassionate use in one patient with atypical partial lipodystrophy and neutralising antibodies to metreleptin was associated with improvements in triglycerides and hepatic steatosis.
Science Translational Medicine, 2023 · 1 people
The combination programme. Relevant because rapid weight loss lowers leptin, which is the state in which this antibody had an effect in phase 1.
ClinicalTrials.gov, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated3 human studies
First-in-patient study of the oral small-molecule GLP-1 agonist, showing glucose lowering and weight loss.
Nature Medicine, 2021 · no headcount in the line
Reduced HbA1c, fasting glucose and body weight at 16 weeks versus placebo.
JAMA Network Open, 2023 · no headcount in the line
Clinically meaningful weight loss over 26 to 32 weeks, but discontinuations for adverse events were higher than anticipated in all groups.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2025 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated2 human studies
Weight fell 9.1% to 14.7% across doses at 13 weeks versus 1.7% with placebo; 93% lost at least 5%.
Obesity, 2026 · no headcount in the line
Oral VK2735 produced dose-dependent weight loss up to 12.2% (26.6 lb) at 13 weeks.
Viking Therapeutics press release, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated2 human studies
22.5% placebo-adjusted weight loss at 48 weeks on 24 mg.
Roche media release, 2026 · no headcount in the line
26.1% of participants lost 30% or more of body weight.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06525935, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study1 found nothing
found nothingSummary of six randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trials: AOD9604 (Tyr-hGH177-191) had no effect on IGF-1 or glucose tolerance and a safety profile indistinguishable from placebo; the programme did not establish efficacy for weight loss.
Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2013 · no headcount in the line
Also measured, in animals or cells
14 days of AOD9604 reduced body weight and fat in obese mice and increased beta3-adrenergic receptor expression; effects were lost in beta3-AR knockout mice.
Endocrinology, 2001 · animal
The hGH 177-191 lipolytic domain stimulated hormone-sensitive lipase and reduced weight gain in obese rats without inducing insulin resistance or glucose intolerance.
- no headcount stated1 human study
Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover in healthy obese subjects with a mean BMI of 39. Five days of native GLP-1 given before meals cut mean food intake per meal 15% and produced 0.55 kg of weight loss, with slowed gastric emptying as the probable mechanism. The native hormone does what its analogues do, just far more briefly.
British Journal of Nutrition, 2004 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
HbA1c fell to 6.4% to 6.9% from 8.1% at 30 weeks with body weight reduction; tolerability similar to other GLP-1 RAs.
Diabetes Care, 2022 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
9.5% to 20.1% weight loss at 48 weeks versus 0.4% on placebo.
The Lancet, 2025 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
Up to 14.1% placebo-adjusted weight loss at 28 weeks on weekly dosing.
Metsera press release, 2025 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
16.3% placebo-adjusted weight loss at 44 weeks on 180 mg.
Nature Medicine, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
19.2% mean weight loss at 48 weeks on 6 mg.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06396429, 2025 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
10.5% weight loss at 26 weeks on 75 mg versus 0.6% placebo.
The Lancet, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
Glycemic benefit alongside weight loss.
Novo Nordisk press release, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
Up to 8.4% mean placebo-subtracted weight loss at day 36 and a 19-day observed half-life, which the company says supports once-monthly dosing. Company topline, not a peer-reviewed publication.
Metsera press release (GlobeNewswire), 9 June 2025, 2025 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
The other half of the paradox. Maridebart cafraglutide pairs GLP-1 receptor agonism with a GIP receptor ANTAGONIST antibody, and it produced weight loss in a randomised phase 2 trial. Blocking the receptor tirzepatide activates also works.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
A programme spanning obese male rats, a phase 1 study and a phase 2 study. In semaglutide-treated obese rats the analogue induced additional weight loss. In phase 1 all doses alone and coadministered with semaglutide were tolerated. In phase 2, verbatim: a modest but not clinically meaningful treatment effect of PYY1875 1.0 mg versus placebo as an add-on to semaglutide 2.4 mg was observed. Gastrointestinal adverse events were common at 1.0 mg and the 2.0 mg dose escalation regimen was not tolerated. The authors conclude the treatment was not well tolerated.
Obesity, 2025 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
First-in-human in Chinese men with overweight or obesity. Single ascending dose 12 to 120 mg, n = 36, randomised 3:1 active to placebo, plus multiple ascending dose n = 12 escalating 15 to 60 mg. Well tolerated with predominantly mild to moderate gastrointestinal adverse events. Dose-proportional exposure from 12 to 90 mg with a total-drug half-life of 899.74 to 1099.01 hours. Maximum early weight change at day 7 on 90 mg was minus 4.71% against minus 0.41% on placebo, sustained up to 133 days. In the multiple-dose part the 60 mg group reached minus 2.57% at day 25 with a significant fall in waist circumference (p = 0.0446). Fasting glucose, triglycerides and uric acid fell and insulin and C-peptide rose.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
The human precedent for the direction. Maridebart cafraglutide pairs GLP-1 receptor agonism with a GIP receptor antagonist antibody and produced weight loss in a randomised phase 2. Included because without it, GIP antagonism would rest on mouse genetics alone.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
Reports reduced hunger in adults from a gut-restricted bitter taste receptor agonist, alongside weight loss in diet-induced obese mice when combined with a DPP-4 inhibitor. Note the split: the human result is on hunger, and the weight loss result is in mice and required a second drug.
Molecular Metabolism, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
Single-centre, single-blind trial, 123 enrolled and 105 completed, randomised to 300 or 400 micrograms weekly or placebo for 24 weeks. Weight fell 16.34 kg on 300 micrograms and 21.14 kg on 400 against 6.75 kg on placebo. Glycated haemoglobin fell 1.02 and 1.34 percentage points against 0.50. Adverse drug reactions reached 36.11 percent on the high dose against 11.43 percent on placebo. These doses are one and a half to four times the registration doses, the trial is single-centre and single-blind, and the placebo arm losing 6.75 kg indicates a substantial background intervention in all groups.
Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2026 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
The definitive human test of the NPY appetite hypothesis, and a negative one. After a positron emission tomography dosing study and a 12 week dose-ranging study identified 1 mg per day as the optimal dose, MK-0557 was taken into a 52 week, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 1,661 overweight and obese patients. The weight loss was statistically significant at 52 weeks but the authors state plainly that its magnitude was not clinically meaningful, and conclude that targeting the Y5 receptor alone is unlikely to produce therapeutic efficacy. The trial was run by Merck, whose employees are among the authors.
Cell Metabolism, 2006 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study1 found nothing
found nothingRandomised 2:1, 30 overweight or obese adults aged 45 and over, MIB-626 two 500 mg tablets twice daily for 28 days. Body weight fell 1.9 kg (95 percent CI -3.3 to -0.5, P=.008), diastolic blood pressure fell 7.01 mmHg (-13.44 to -0.59, P=.034), total cholesterol fell 26.89 mg/dL (P=.004) and LDL fell 18.73 mg/dL (P=.007). Muscle strength, muscle fatigability, aerobic capacity and stair-climbing power did not change. Insulin sensitivity, hepatic fat and intra-abdominal fat did not change in either group. Metro International Biotech, the manufacturer, is a listed funder. This is a physiologic study with multiple outcomes rather than a trial powered on one of them.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2023 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
STEP 1. Mean body weight changed by 14.9% with semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly against 2.4% with placebo at week 68, an estimated treatment difference of 12.4 percentage points. 50.5% of the semaglutide group lost 15% or more of body weight against 4.9% on placebo. Nausea and diarrhoea were the most common adverse events, usually transient and mild to moderate. Semaglutide alone; no vitamin was co-administered.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2021 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
SURMOUNT-1. Mean percentage weight change at week 72 was 15.0% on 5 mg, 19.5% on 10 mg and 20.9% on 15 mg weekly, against 3.1% on placebo. 57% of the 15 mg group lost 20% or more of body weight against 3% on placebo. Gastrointestinal events were the most common adverse events and were mostly mild to moderate. Tirzepatide alone, with no vitamin co-administered.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2022 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
STEP 1. Mean body weight change of 14.9% on semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly against 2.4% on placebo at 68 weeks, treatment difference 12.4 percentage points. 69.1% lost 10% or more and 50.5% lost 15% or more, against 12.0% and 4.9% on placebo. Semaglutide alone.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2021 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
SURMOUNT-1. Mean weight change at 72 weeks of 15.0%, 19.5% and 20.9% on 5, 10 and 15 mg weekly against 3.1% on placebo, with 57% of the 15 mg group losing 20% or more of body weight against 3% on placebo. Gastrointestinal events were the most common adverse events. Tirzepatide alone.
New England Journal of Medicine, 2022 · no headcount in the line
- no headcount stated1 human study
Petrelintide, the parent scaffold from which BGM1812 was derived, in randomised placebo-controlled phase 1 trials: half-life about 10 days, weight reduction up to 8.6 percent after 16 weeks of weekly dosing, nausea in 16.7 to 33.3 percent against 16.7 percent on placebo. These are petrelintide data and say nothing directly about BGM1812.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2026 · no headcount in the line
Measured in animals or cells, not yet in people
These are separated from the trials above rather than ranked against them, because they answer a different question. A result in a rat is a real result and a reason somebody ran the study; it is not a measurement of what happens in you. Where the human work is missing, the reason is usually money rather than failure, and that is set out at the bottom of this page.
- 2 preclinical studies
Measured in animals or cells
The C-terminal 177-191 domain of hGH mimicked GH's lipolytic actions on adipose tissue and reduced weight gain in obese rats without insulin resistance.
The stabilized fragment analogue AOD9604 reduced body weight and fat in obese mice; the closest human data come from the AOD9604 programme, not the native fragment.
Endocrinology, 2001 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
The entire mouse lifespan case, from one laboratory. Empagliflozin extended the median survival of male mice by 5.9 percent, improved learning, memory and motor balance, lowered body weight, reduced hepatic P21 and P16, altered gut flora composition and raised short-chain fatty acids. A single-site study, not part of any multi-site replication programme.
GeroScience, 2024 · animal
What people using it report
- Weight loss of a few kilograms is commonly described and is expected from urinary calorie loss rather than from any ageing mechanism.
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
Adipotide induced apoptosis in white-fat blood vessels of obese rhesus monkeys, producing 7.4 to 14.7% weight loss in four weeks with improved insulin resistance; renal proximal tubule changes were dose-dependent and reversible.
Science Translational Medicine, 2011 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
Small-molecule NNMT inhibitors (the 5-amino-1MQ series) reduced body weight and fat mass in diet-induced obese mice.
Biochemical Pharmacology, 2018 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
Additive weight loss with survodutide in animals.
PubMed Central PMC12311552, 2025 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
In two mouse colitis models KPV led to earlier recovery, greater body-weight regain, fewer inflammatory infiltrates and lower myeloperoxidase activity in colon tissue. Mouse gut inflammation with KPV given alone; nothing here tests KPV in a blend or in people.
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 2008 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
Weight loss confined to adipose tissue.
Obesity, 2010 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
In diet-induced obese mice and in pigs, halofuginone suppressed food intake, raised energy expenditure and produced weight loss via integrated stress response induction of FGF21 and GDF15; both hormones were required in knockout mice. Animal only. Note that the abstract describes halofuginone as FDA-approved for scleroderma, which the FDA approved drugs database does not support.
Science Advances, 2025 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
Class background only, not about bivamelagon. In male nonhuman primates with diet induced obesity, an oral dual MC3R and MC4R agonist (710GO) produced weight loss, and the authors note that selective MC4R agonists have had limited clinical success in general obesity. The senior author holds equity in the company developing the compound.
Nature Communications, 2026 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
Repeated intranasal dosing with dose escalation over 10 weeks in awake rhesus macaques, including MPTP treated animals. Bilateral changes in striatal dopamine metabolites without observed adverse behavioural effects or weight loss. A methods and proof of concept study; group sizes are small. NIH funded.
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
found nothingThe reason to be careful with this whole family. NMNH, the direct downstream metabolite of NRH, was a better NAD enhancer than NMN in cells and in mice, and in the same experiments inhibited glycolysis and the TCA cycle, induced cell cycle arrest and suppressed cell growth in vitro. Mouse body weight did not differ. Any claim that a reduced precursor is simply a stronger version of NR has to account for this.
Journal of Proteome Research, 2021 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
Diet-induced obese female mice. Exercise and the PPAR-beta/delta agonist had complementary immunometabolic effects during weight loss. Animal work only.
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
In two mouse colitis models KPV produced earlier recovery, greater body-weight regain, fewer inflammatory infiltrates and lower myeloperoxidase activity in colon tissue. Mice, KPV given alone, nothing here about a blend or about people.
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 2008 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
In two mouse colitis models KPV produced earlier recovery, greater body-weight regain, fewer inflammatory infiltrates and lower myeloperoxidase activity in colon tissue. Mice, KPV given alone, nothing here about a blend or about people.
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 2008 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
In two mouse colitis models KPV produced earlier recovery, greater body-weight regain, fewer inflammatory infiltrates and lower myeloperoxidase activity in colon tissue. Mice, KPV given alone, nothing here about a blend or about people.
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 2008 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
In two mouse colitis models KPV produced earlier recovery, greater body-weight regain, fewer inflammatory infiltrates and lower myeloperoxidase activity in colon tissue. Mice, KPV given alone, nothing here about a blend or about people.
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 2008 · animal
- 1 preclinical study
Measured in animals or cells
Peripheral PYY3-36 inhibited food intake and reduced weight gain in rats, and inhibited intake in wild-type but not Y2 receptor knockout mice, with arcuate c-Fos induction and reduced hypothalamic NPY mRNA. A human arm reported that infusion at postprandial concentrations cut intake by 33 percent over 24 hours. The rodent arm is the one that failed replication.
Nature, 2002 · animal
What people using these actually report
Uncontrolled self-reports, gathered from clinic write-ups, regulatory complaint records and public forums, and reproduced here as written. They are the best guide on this page to what people actually do, what they expect, and what goes wrong, and they cannot show that anything works, because nobody was measured against a placebo and the people who saw no effect mostly stopped posting. Both halves of that are true at once. The negative reports are kept in for the same reason.
- A rate of loss of roughly half a percent to one percent of body weight per week is repeatedly described as the normal pace, and slower loss is commonly recommended by other users as the way to limit loose skin. People who lose faster than that describe being uneasy about it.
Sources: Public discussion in r/Zepbound, r/tirzepatidecompound, r/TirzepatideRX, r/glp1, r/Semaglutide, r/PCOS and general subreddits where these drugs come up, read through the PullPush Reddit archive on 2026-09-13 because Reddit's own endpoints are unreachable from this environment. 84 comments reviewed. Nothing above is attributed to any specific post and no comment is reproduced.
- Fast weight loss with visible muscle loss, reported by people not resistance training.
Sources: Forums including r/Retatrutide and r/peptides, plus vendor listings. The heart rate observation also appears in the retatrutide phase 2 trial; everything else here is uncontrolled self-report from people using unverified material.
- Fast early weight loss followed by a plateau.
Sources: The gastrointestinal figures come from the REDEFINE 1 adverse event table. The rest comes from forums including r/Semaglutide and r/peptides, and is uncontrolled self-report from people using unverified material.
- The dose people describe starting on for weight loss clusters around 2 mg weekly, and the most repeated piece of advice is that people who are already lean and using it to cut find that starting dose considerably stronger than people using it for obesity do. Starting lower is the standard suggestion in that second group.
Sources: Public discussion in r/Retatrutide, r/PEDs, r/zepbound_support and adjacent weight loss subreddits, read through the PullPush Reddit archive on 2026-09-13 because Reddit's own endpoints are unreachable from this environment. 86 comments reviewed. Nothing above is attributed to any specific post and no comment is reproduced.
- Weight loss of a few kilograms is commonly described and is expected from urinary calorie loss rather than from any ageing mechanism.
Sources: Longevity forums, diabetes communities and clinic write-ups. Uncontrolled self-report, useful for knowing what to watch for and worthless as evidence of an ageing effect.
- What people report wanting from it is recovery, sleep and body recomposition rather than weight loss, and experienced users repeatedly tell newcomers that it will not produce fat loss and that a GLP-1 drug is what does that.
Sources: Public discussion in r/Peptides, r/Peptidesource, r/PeptideForum and r/Retatrutide, read through the PullPush Reddit archive on 2026-09-13 because Reddit's own endpoints are unreachable from this environment. 88 comments reviewed. Nothing above is attributed to any specific post and no comment is reproduced.
- Users state repeatedly that it will not cause weight loss and correct people who expect it to, usually redirecting them to GLP-1 drugs for that and positioning this as recovery, sleep and body composition support.
Sources: Public discussion in r/Peptides, r/PeptideForum, r/Peptidesource and r/Retatrutide, read through the PullPush Reddit archive on 2026-09-13 because Reddit's own endpoints are unreachable from this environment. 81 comments retrieved, of which the clearly unrelated legal-abbreviation results were discarded before writing. Nothing above is attributed to any specific post and no comment is reproduced.
- The most consistent thing people report, and the one that matches the trials most closely, is that this moves visceral abdominal fat and does not move subcutaneous fat or total weight. Experienced posters state that plainly and correct newcomers who expect weight loss from it, several of them pointing out that the trials themselves report no subcutaneous fat loss.
Sources: Public discussion in r/Peptides, r/PeptideForum, r/Peptidesource, r/trt and weight loss subreddits, read through the PullPush Reddit archive on 2026-09-13 because Reddit's own endpoints are unreachable from this environment. 90 comments reviewed. Nothing above is attributed to any specific post and no comment is reproduced.
- Case reports compiled by USP and EFSA describe liver injury emerging weeks to months after starting concentrated extracts, frequently products marketed for weight loss and frequently taken on an empty stomach; most cases described resolved after the product was stopped, and a minority were severe.
Sources: The adverse event case reports analysed in the US Pharmacopeia systematic review (216 reports drawn from the published literature, FDA MedWatch, USP MEDMARX, the Australian TGA, the UK MHRA and Health Canada), the EFSA 2018 opinion's public call for data, and the adverse event tables of the Minnesota Green Tea Trial. No consumer forum or retail review platform was retrieved for this entry, so nothing above is attributed to any forum post.
Why the trial record looks like this
A missing trial is usually a missing sponsor. Nobody runs a nine-figure programme on a molecule they cannot own, so the compounds with the thinnest human records are often the oldest and most freely available ones rather than the weakest. Taking Empagliflozin as the example, because it states the problem most clearly:
There are two separate evidence questions about any repurposed drug and they have different answers. The first is whether the drug does what it was licensed to do, which here is settled by randomised trials with hard clinical endpoints. The second is whether it slows ageing in humans, which no trial has tested. The strength of the first answer says nothing about the second. A reader who takes the licensed indication as partial proof of the ageing claim has made the central error of this field.
The attribution problem is specific and worth stating plainly. The National Institute on Aging Interventions Testing Program, which runs genetically heterogeneous UM-HET3 mice at three independent sites and publishes its nulls, has tested canagliflozin. It reported a 14 percent extension of median male survival and a 9 percent increase in the age at 90th percentile survival, with no effect in females, and it has since run a late-start canagliflozin cohort. It has not tested empagliflozin. Searching the literature for the programme and this drug together returns nothing.
The empagliflozin lifespan claim comes from a 2024 single-laboratory study in naturally aged mice that reported a 5.9 percent gain in median male survival. That is a smaller effect, from one site, with none of the design features that make the Interventions Testing Program results worth their reputation. Coverage that says an SGLT2 inhibitor extends lifespan in the NIA programme and then illustrates it with empagliflozin has merged two different compounds and two very different tiers of evidence.
The authors of the canagliflozin paper offer an interpretation worth carrying over: they attribute the lifespan benefit to blunting peak glucose, on the grounds that acarbose produces a similar male-preferential effect through an entirely different mechanism. If that is right, the relevant variable is postprandial glucose control rather than any particular molecule, and the SGLT2 class has no special claim.
A compound appears here only when a citation on its own page states this outcome and reports a result for it; naming it is not enough. Human, animal and cell work are counted separately and never merged. Participant counts are read from the study lines and deliberately undercount. Nothing here is advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to take or to avoid anything.