Ozempic could help reduce Alzheimer’s risk for some, study suggests: ‘Shifting the paradigm’

Semaglutide medications — such as Ozempic, the popular diabetes drug — have been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease for certain groups.

A new study, which was led by researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, revealed that patients who were prescribed semaglutide had a "significantly lower risk" of developing Alzheimer’s compared to those taking other types of anti-diabetic medications, according to a press release.

The researchers analyzed three years of medical records for nearly one million type 2 diabetes patients in the U.S. 

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The findings were published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association on Thursday.

"Our study provides promising real-world evidence suggesting that semaglutide could be beneficial in preventing or slowing down the development of AD," lead author and biomedical informatics professor Rong Xu told Fox News Digital. 

"The underlying mechanisms remain unknown, and future mechanistic studies and clinical trials are necessary to confirm the effects." 

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Alzheimer’s is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, taking around 120,000 lives each year.

Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, is a GLP-1 molecule that regulates blood sugar in diabetes patients. 

It is also the active ingredient in Wegovy, Ozempic’s counterpart that is used to treat obesity.

The findings suggest that there could be potential beneficial effects of semaglutide in preventing or slowing down the development of Alzheimer’s in high-risk populations, such as patients with type 2 diabetes, Xu noted.

"This can provide some guidance in the choice of anti-diabetic medications for diabetes management and, at the same time, for preventing Alzheimer’s disease," she said. 

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Dr. Sue Decotiis, MD, a New York City weight-loss doctor, said she was not surprised by the study’s discovery of the extra GLP-1 benefits.

"We know that GLP-1 drugs treat insulin resistance, which has a positive impact on the whole body – cardiovascular health, neurovascular health, decreased risk of stroke and better cognitive function," Decotiis, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital.

Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity doctor who often prescribes Ozempic to his patients, said this study reinforces how metabolic health influences neurodegeneration. 

"The connection becomes even more apparent when considering the links between obesity, chronic inflammation and conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, often referred to as ‘type 3 diabetes’ due to its association with insulin resistance in the brain," Osborn, who also was not involved in Case Western's research, told Fox News Digital.

In people with diabetes, a byproduct of insulin resistance is an increase in inflammation, Osborn noted, which is a "key driver" of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.

"This suggests that effective management of insulin resistance and systemic inflammation reduction may be pivotal in slowing or preventing neurodegenerative diseases," he said.

Osborn agrees that the preventive effects of GLP-1 drugs will likely extend across various conditions. 

"These drugs will ultimately be employed not just for diabetes, but as preventative and therapeutic agents for nearly all non-infectious age-related diseases, as well as conditions like alcoholism and drug addiction," he said.

While the study doesn’t claim that GLP-1s are a cure for Alzheimer’s, Osborn said, "It shifts the paradigm by addressing the underlying risk factors for Alzheimer’s rather than just its symptoms." 

"It suggests a more comprehensive approach — one that tackles insulin resistance, obesity and inflammation," he went on. 

By improving insulin sensitivity and reducing inflammation, these medications could provide direct benefits for not only the brain, but the entire body, he suggested.

"After all, most age-related conditions share common underpinnings and vary only by which part of the body is affected," Osborn said. "It’s simply a matter of geography."

Decotiis said she expects to see "more and more widespread benefits" from using this category of drugs, but that more studies are needed to prove that they slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

"There needs to be a clear indication from the FDA to use these drugs for Alzheimer’s specifically in order for them to be covered by insurance," she added.

Xu reiterated that these findings "cannot be used to justify off-label prescription of semaglutide for Alzheimer’s disease prevention and treatment."

"For this to happen, randomized clinical trials are necessary," she said.

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The researcher also acknowledged that the study had some limitations.

"This is a retrospective cohort study with inherent limitations related to uncontrolled or unmeasured confounding and biases," she said. 

"Further research into semaglutide’s use will need to be further investigated through randomized clinical trials so alternative drugs can be tested as potential treatment for this debilitating illness."

The study received funding from the National Institute on Aging and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.

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When contacted by Fox News Digital, Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk issued the following statement.

"Novo Nordisk welcomes independent research investigating the safety, efficacy and clinical utility of our products."

A company spokesperson also stated that Novo Nordisk is conducting its own research into the effectiveness of oral semaglutide in early Alzheimer’s disease, with expected completion in 2025.

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E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s burgers: How to spot the symptoms

A widespread E. coli outbreak has been linked to a McDonald’s product, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A total of 49 people across 10 states have reported infections after eating the Quarter Pounder hamburger from the fast-food chain, the agency stated in a food safety alert released on Tuesday.

Ten people were hospitalized, and one death has been reported.

A majority of the infections were reported in Colorado and Nebraska.

MCDONALD'S LINKED TO E. COLI OUTBREAK, CDC SAYS

McDonald’s is working with several health agencies — including the CDC, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) — to investigate which ingredient in the Quarter Pounders is leading to the illness, the CDC noted.

In the meantime, restaurant locations in some states have stopped using quarter-pound beef patties and slivered onions until the ingredient has been identified.

E. coli — officially known as Escherichia coli — is a type of bacteria found in the environment, foods and intestines of people and animals, according to the CDC.

Harry Kopolovich, MD, chairman of emergency medicine at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, noted that E. Coli is a commonly occurring bacteria. 

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"E. Coli is a natural part of our collective GI system," he told Fox News Digital.

"Most strains are harmless and exist in our gut as part of the normal flora that supports good digestive health."

Certain subtypes of the strain, specifically 0157:H7, can cause serious disease and death in a subset of individuals, the doctor cautioned.

"Given that E. coli is so present in the environment, it can easily spread from individual to individual by poor hygienic processes," he added.

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, previously told Fox News Digital that E. coli is an intestinal bacteria that may propagate in cows and chickens used for meat, "especially when they are raised in squalor or close together."

"Since poultry and meat cows are often fed antibiotics to help them grow and to ward off infections, this helps to breed resistant strains, which emerge amid antibiotic overuse," Siegel added.

The outbreak likely stemmed from meat not being cooked enough, the doctor said, or it could have spread through uncooked vegetables, such as the onions on the burgers. 

"Food handlers can also spread it," Siegel added.

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The best way to avoid infection is to use "good and common sense precautions," Kopolovich said.

These include handwashing and thoroughly disinfecting food preparation surfaces, as well as cooking food to the appropriate temperature to avoid foodborne illness. 

Symptoms of E. coli illness include — but are not limited to — severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), vomiting, respiratory illness, urinary tract infections, fever and pneumonia, according to the CDC.

"Most of the time, it causes cramping and diarrhea and even bloody stools, but you typically recover in about a week," Siegel said.

After exposure, the infection has a "dormant or incubation period" of roughly three days, Kopolovich noted, but it can be as long as 10 days following consumption.

"Most people tend to recover without any treatment after approximately five to seven days," he said.

Although rare, some people with E. coli can develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can lead to kidney failure or other life-threatening complications, per the CDC.

"Anywhere from 15% to 20% of children infected with STEC will go on to develop a complication of HUS, which is characterized by an abrupt decrease in hemoglobin, platelet counts and an acute kidney injury," Kopolovich told Fox News Digital.

Symptoms of HUS include extreme fatigue, decreased urination and loss of color in the face and lower eyelids.

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The CDC recommends seeing a health care provider for "diarrhea that lasts for more than three days or diarrhea that is accompanied by a fever higher than 102˚F, bloody diarrhea, or so much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down and you pass very little urine."

People should also seek medical attention for abdominal pain that does not improve with Tylenol (acetaminophen), according to Kopolovich.

Patients who take medications or have a preexisting medical condition — such as an autoimmune disease, heart failure or kidney disease — could be at a higher risk for serious complications, the doctor added.

"You can't really treat with antibiotics because when the bacteria die, more of the toxin is released," Siegel said. "So you have to treat with supportive care and hydration."

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Fox News Digital reached out to McDonald’s for comment.

McDonald's North America chief supply chain officer Cesar Piña said in an internal statement that the company is "taking swift and decisive action" to address the outbreak, and reported that "the initial findings from the investigation indicate that a subset of illnesses may be linked to slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers."

Fox News Digital's Breck Dumas contributed reporting.

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Washington state officials identify four new cases of bird flu, as H5N1 outbreak spreads

Four people in Washington state are suffering from bird flu, prompting fears about the illness spreading to other agricultural workers in the U.S.

Also known as avian influenza A (H5N1), the disease recently tested presumptively positive in four agricultural workers in Washington state, according to the Washington State Department of Health (WADOH). The press release noted that the workers are employed on an egg farm in Franklin County.

"The individuals experienced mild symptoms and have been provided with antiviral medication," the statement read. "Testing of additional individuals on the farm is currently pending and the number of cases under investigation may change."

Washington state officials noted that these diagnoses mark the "first presumed human cases of H5 virus under investigation in Washington state." In response, more than three quarters of a million birds were killed.

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"About 800,000 birds were euthanized after test results by the Washington State Department of Agriculture on Oct. 15 showed that they were infected with avian influenza," the statement read.

Washington state is the sixth U.S. state to identify a human infection of H5N1, which is a highly pathogenic avian influenza that has been detected in poultry, dairy cattle and wildlife.

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"Washington has monitored the spread of H5N1 closely since it was first detected in poultry in the state in 2022, and our state is prepared with the knowledge, relationships, and tools to minimize its impacts on our community," Washington Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah said in the WADOH's press release.

According to the WADOH, the disease naturally occurs in wild aquatic birds and can spread to other birds and even mammals.

"On rare occasions, avian influenza viruses infect people and make them sick," the statement read. "Most instances of people becoming infected with avian influenza have happened after prolonged, close contact with animals infected with avian influenza or environments contaminated with avian influenza."

"The CDC currently considers the risk to the general public from this H5N1 avian influenza to be low; however, people with job-related or recreational exposures to infected birds, cattle, or other potentially impacted domestic or wild animals are at higher risk and should take precautions, including wearing personal protective equipment."

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Vaccines for flu and COVID: Should you get both at the same time?

Everyone 6 months and older is advised to get the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines and the updated 2024-2025 flu vaccines, according to the latest guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

With September and October widely considered the best times to get vaccinated for flu and COVID-19, some may wonder whether it’s OK to get both shots at the same time.

The CDC states on its website that "it is safe to receive COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same visit."

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The advantages are particularly key for young children, the agency noted.

"Giving several shots at the same time means fewer office visits," the CDC states. "This saves parents time and money, and can be less traumatic for the child."

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, agrees that it’s OK to get both at the same time —  but he prefers to do them separately.

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"My personal taste on this as a practicing internist is I tend to separate them, only because I want to know which is causing which side effects, so I can monitor it," he told Fox News Digital. 

"But for people who say, ‘I'm only going to the pharmacy once, is it safe to have them together?’, the answer is absolutely yes."

Dr. Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a San Francisco biotechnology company, recommends that people get both vaccines at the same doctor’s or pharmacist’s visit. 

"Studies have shown that co-administering flu and coronavirus vaccines makes them work about as effectively as administering them separately," he told Fox News Digital.

Glanville said he personally gets both vaccines at once for two reasons — "because of the science and for convenience."

"I didn’t feel that the logistical nuisance was worth the wait for me personally, and would rather get it over with on a single vaccine day than having to schedule multiple visits," he said.

This also allows patients to have faster vaccine coverage against both pathogens, Glanville noted.

"Even if you are someone who might experience some side effects from a vaccine, I prefer to combine them."   

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Beth Battaglino, CEO of HealthyWomen and a registered nurse in New Jersey, agrees that getting updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines together, at the same visit, is a safe and common practice known as "coadministration."

"This is a convenient way to stay protected while avoiding multiple trips to your doctor or pharmacy," she told Fox News Digital.

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"Vaccination remains the best way to prevent severe illness, especially for high-risk groups like older adults and those with underlying health conditions."

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Aging may speed up after death of a loved one, study finds: 'Major life stressor'

Experiencing the loss of a loved one not only has an emotional impact, but it may also speed up the aging process.

That’s according to a recent report from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Butler Columbia Aging Center in New York, in collaboration with the Carolina Population Center at University North Carolina Chapel Hill.

Researchers found that people who suffered a loss of a close family member such as a parent, child or sibling appeared to have an older biological age compared to those who did not.

The study was recently published in JAMA Network Open.

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"Although this study doesn’t offer definitive proof, it provides strong evidence of a link between experiencing loss and accelerated biological aging," lead author Allison E. Aiello, PhD, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, told Fox News Digital.

Aiello defined biological age as "how old our bodies are at the cellular level, which may differ from our actual age."

With a gradual decline in the function of cells, tissues and organs, there is an increased risk of developing diseases later in life, she said.

The team of researchers gathered data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which began in 1994.

A total of 20,745 participants ranging from 12 to 19 years were tracked for a 24-year span, up until 2018, according to a Columbia press release.

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The researchers recorded any losses of close relatives. Nearly 40% of participants experienced at least one loss in adulthood.

Out of the original participants, 4,500 agreed to undergo additional home exams and blood tests, the study authors noted. 

DNA markers from the blood samples — also known as epigenetic clocks — were used to establish biological age.

Although a single loss was shown to speed up biological aging, two or more losses in adulthood had a more noticeable impact, the researchers found.

"A greater number of losses was associated with more pronounced biological aging, further supporting the harmful effects of this exposure," Aiello told Fox News Digital.

The trauma of losing a parent or sibling has already been linked to many types of health issues, according to the study authors.

Prior research has shown that stress is linked to negative health outcomes — and loss is a "major life stressor," Aiello said, often associated with mental health issues, cognitive decline, increased risk of heart disease and even higher mortality rates. 

"The effects of such losses may not appear immediately, but can emerge over time," she noted.

Although loss can cause these health effects at any age, they may be more profound during key developmental times in a person’s life, the researchers determined.

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Those who had losses during early adulthood — up to the early 40s — experienced a bigger increase in biological aging compared to those who lost loved ones during childhood or adolescence, Aiello told Fox News Digital.

"We observed a stronger impact from loss in older age, possibly due to resilience in younger individuals or because we had fewer cases of loss in younger age groups, which made it harder to detect significant effects," she said.

Daniel Tawfik, a molecular biologist and co-founder of Healthspan, a digital medical clinic based in Santa Monica, California, was not associated with the study but shared his insights on the findings.

"The recent JAMA study highlighting that bereavement may accelerate biological aging aligns with our understanding of how stress impacts the body," Tawfik told Fox News Digital. 

The study’s exploration of the epigenetic markers offers an "intriguing insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying stress-related aging," he said.

More research is needed to determine whether the age-related effects of losing a loved one are temporary or permanent, according to Tawfik.

"With only a single assessment point, it remains unclear how long these biological changes persist, the extent to which individuals can recover over time, and what specific interventions might mitigate these effects," he said.

"Epigenetic aging is dynamic, so there's good reason to believe these changes can be reversed."

Aiello reiterated that additional research would help to confirm these findings.

"We need more data … in younger individuals and longer-term studies to better understand the immediate and long-lasting effects of loss on biological aging," she said.

Aiello and Tawfik agreed that the study highlights the importance of effective coping strategies after the loss of a loved one.

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"It is essential for individuals in such circumstances to seek support, employ stress-reduction techniques and remain vigilant about their health," Tawfik told Fox News Digital. 

"Proactive management may help alleviate some of the physiological burdens associated with bereavement."

Future studies should focus on how specific coping strategies and support systems could help decrease the impact a loss has on the biological aging process, according to Aiello. 

This could then guide medical professionals and public health strategies to improve outcomes after a loss, she said.

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The study was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Add Health, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute on Aging, the Carolina Population Center, and other federal agencies and foundations.

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What is pink cocaine? Dangerous drug cocktail reportedly linked to Liam Payne, others is revealed

One Direction star Liam Payne’s initial toxicology report was released on Monday, exposing one or more drugs in his system.

The preliminary report "suggested evidence of exposure to cocaine," an official told the Associated Press, before stating that the initial results were not an accurate reading of the amount that was circulating in his blood at the time of his death.

Last week, a preliminary autopsy report revealed that Payne, 31, died from "polytrauma" and "an internal and external hemorrhage" after falling from the third-floor balcony of his hotel in Buenos Aires.

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Investigators found narcotics and alcohol inside Payne’s hotel room amid broken objects and furniture, according to the AP.

In a separate report, sources told ABC News that the toxicology results showed multiple substances in Payne’s system, including pink cocaine – a combination of various substances such as ketamine, MDMA, opioids and methamphetamine.

Dr. Chris Tuell, clinical director of addiction services at Ohio’s Lindner Center of HOPE, told Fox News Digital that pink cocaine – often called Tusi or Tuci – usually does not actually contain any cocaine.

The drug is typically a powdery mix that can contain psychoactive substances such as hallucinogens, anti-anxiety medications, stimulants and depressants, he said.

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The street drug with the bright coloring (due to food dye) has been growing in popularity due to its "psychedelic and stimulant properties," Mell McCracken, executive director of No Matter What Recovery in Los Angeles, told Fox News Digital.

"Users report that the ‘high’ is not too dissimilar to [that of] another ubiquitous street drug, ecstasy (aka Molly or MDMA)," the expert said. 

"Both have been reported to cause an increased sense of well-being, warmth and openness toward others and are very popular on the party circuit scene," he added.

Pink cocaine can have "serious consequences," the drug counselor warned, and can be fatal if taken in large doses.

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"While the psychedelic properties of pink cocaine can bring about feelings of euphoria, it can also cause anxiety, paranoia and panic attacks," McCracken warned.

"Because it’s a stimulant, it causes increased heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature — a combination of factors that can lead to heart attacks and strokes."

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Other side effects can include nausea, vomiting, muscle spasms and tremors, McCracken said, while frequent use can lead to chronic mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, panic attacks and social phobias.

There has been an uptick of designer drugs that work by boosting dopamine, the "neurochemical that provides reward and pleasure," Tuell added.

"A pink cocaine user can expect to experience the side effects of confusion, distorted thoughts and hallucinations," he told Fox News Digital.

Pink cocaine has also been linked to a lawsuit against rapper and music producer Sean "Diddy" Combs – who is currently awaiting trial for sex trafficking and other charges. It was named in the suit as one of his go-to drugs, according to Fox 5 New York and other sources.  

Payne’s final toxicology results are still pending and are not expected to be made public for weeks, the AP reported.

Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed reporting. 

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New cervical cancer treatment approach could reduce risk of death by 40%, trial results show

There could be new hope on the horizon for women fighting cervical cancer.

Researchers investigated a new approach to treating the disease in a study funded by Cancer Research UK.

In a phase 3 trial, patients went through a short, six-week course of chemotherapy before starting standard chemoradiation (CRT) treatment.

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This approach was found to slash death risk by 40%, and it also reduced the likelihood of the disease returning or relapsing by 35%.

After five years, 80% of trial participants who received the induction chemo session followed by CRT survived, and 73% reported that their cancer had not returned or spread.

Dr. Mary McCormack, PhD, one of the trial researchers, shared with Fox News Digital that this method led to an 8% absolute improvement in survival rates at five years.

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Over the team's decade-long research, McCormack noted that there have been some changes in standard radiation delivery.

"As this was a randomized trial, these changes, which were incorporated into the study, were taken into account and affected both arms of the trial equally," she said.

Based on these findings, McCormack encouraged clinicians to offer an additional short course of chemo to their patients.

"These drugs are widely available," she said. "The trial results should be incorporated into national and international guidelines within the next few months."

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Dr. Brian Slomovitz, director of gynecologic oncology and co-chair of the Cancer Research Committee at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Florida, called these results "very compelling."

"They demonstrate a significant overall survival and progression-free survival advantage in patients who suffer from this disease," he told Fox News Digital.

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The doctor did note a few limitations, however, including that the trial was not done in a "United States-like setting." 

"This may have led to under-performance of the control arm," Slomovitz said. "Also, radiation techniques and the availability of therapies after progression (especially immunotherapy) have improved since this trial."

"I am really not sure whether it’s applicable for patients in the U.S.," he continued. "I look forward to future studies to hopefully confirm these results."

There are about 11,500 new cervical cancer diagnoses in the U.S. each year and about 4,000 women die from the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

To prevent cervical cancer, experts recommend getting vaccinated against types of HPV (human papillomavirus) that can cause it. 

The CDC also recommends that women get routine Pap smears and HPV screenings.

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