We at Biohackr Health administer semaglutide and tirzepatide, GLP 1 agonists which help with weight loss. We are big fans. It works. What is crazy though is all of the health benefits that the GLP 1 agonists seem to have that are not because of the weight loss. See the studies in our blogs- there are many, showing lower dementia rates, addiction rates, heart disease, diabetes, and more. Now we can add knee osteoarthritis to the list.
This was a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, October 2024, “One Weekly Semaglutide in Persons with Obesity and Knee Osteoarthritis.” Knee osteoarthritis is seen in 20% of those over the age of 45. Obese patients are more likely to see knee arthritis due to stress on the joints caused by their weight, which leads to cartilage breakdown and inflammation. This leads to pain, stiffness, and knees that click or creak when walking. These symptoms make it tough to exercise. The bad thing about arthritis is there aren’t great treatments. You can take NSAIDs or acetaminophen, wear knee sleeves, and use poles while hiking, but when the pain gets bad enough, you end up with knee replacement surgery.
Study:
- 470 patients who were obese with knee pain. Double blind, randomized, placebo or semaglutide.
- Exercise counseling and reduced calorie diet
- 68 weeks.
- 81% women, average age 56, and BMI of 40.
- Average pain was 70.9/100 point scale.
- They also took a physical function score test on the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36)
Findings?
- Unsurprisingly, those who got semaglutide lost more weight- 13.7% vs. 3.2%
- Semaglutide patients had a 41.7 pain drop, vs. 27.5 in placebo patients.
- Physical function score improved 12 points, vs 6.5 points in placebo
When discussing it, they of course state weight loss helped with the knee pain. But they seem certain the semaglutide also seems to be anti-inflammatory. They postulate the pain felt by patients is out of proportion to the damage seen, “the pain is not just because cartilage over the bone gets worn down.” They state the thin rim of the cartilage becomes inflamed and sends pain signals to the body. The bone also sends pain signals, as pores open in the bones and the nerves from the bone grow into the base of the cartilage.
Our thoughts at Biohackr Health?
- We are fans of semaglutide and tirzepatide. Currently it is recommended for diabetics and people who are overweight, but the health effects may make some version of this great for everyone. Currently thought it is for diabetics and weight loss patients.
- We like activity. Many of our treatments are focused on improving your body muscles, stamina, and strength. You can do the InBody Scan to see your muscle/fat ratio. We have supplements and IVs meant to increase muscle mass. NAD+ to help the powerhouse mitochondria in your cells. Hormone levels to see how to balance your hormones to improve strength and stamina, particularly important for women in perimenopause and menopause and men in middle age. Activity helps with your blood sugar control as well. So if semaglutide has an anti inflammatory aspect that lowers knee pain? Sign us up!
- Keep getting educated. Many people are worried about GLP 1 agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide, thinking there isn’t much science on them. At this point, they have been out for years, used by hundreds of thousands of patients, and what we are finding out about them in scientific studies is overwhelmingly positive. Again, we are not recommending it for those who have a normal BMI. But for those who are overweight or obese, or those with diabetes, the science seems very favorable.
