GLP-1 weight-loss drugs may add 7% hair-loss risk for genetically predisposed men
Study finds men with a genetic tendency for androgenetic alopecia face an extra 7% chance of hair loss when using GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound.
A new Mendelian-randomization study by NYU Langone Health investigators identified a genetic association between elevated GLP-1 receptor expression and male-pattern hair loss in men taking GLP-1 drugs. By comparing GLP1R activity-related variants with those linked to androgenetic alopecia, the team calculated an additional 7% risk of hair thinning for genetically susceptible males using medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound.
The risk persisted after adjusting for hypertension, insulin resistance and testosterone levels. The research, appearing online in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, draws on the eQTLGen and Complex Traits Genetics databases covering hundreds of thousands of primarily White participants. Lead author Lynn Petukhova noted the potential for future genetic screening to guide prescribing or combine treatments like minoxidil to mitigate hair loss. Further work will explore whether the same link exists in women.
Why it matters
The finding could help doctors predict and manage hair-loss side effects for patients on popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.
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