“There are genetic aspects, physical aspects, and inflammatory aspects,” he says. Ozempic can help people to lose weight, which addresses the physical link between obesity and osteoarthritis, but it may also help to tamp down on bodily inflammation, Dr. Mandelbaum says.

Medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, which are used to treat type 2 diabetes and boost weight loss, may also help reduce knee osteoarthritis-related pain in people with obesity, a trial finds.

Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is primarily caused by wear and tear on the protective layer of cartilage on the ends of our bones.

New research shows that weight loss drugs semaglutide, known as Ozempic and Wegovy, not only aid in weight loss but also reduce knee osteoarthritis pain. In a clinical trial, patients who used the drug along with diet and exercise experienced significant weight loss and pain relief.

The results of a clinical trial published this week found that the active ingredient in the diabetes and weight loss medications Ozempic and Wegovy was linked with a near halving of reported pain among patients with knee osteoarthritis and obesity.

Recent research has found that semaglutide injections, which also include controversial weight loss drug Ozempic, can reduce knee pain caused by obesity-related arthritis.