GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic May Raise Hair-Loss Risk in Men Prone to Baldness

Men who are already genetically predisposed to the most common form of male-pattern baldness may face an additional 7% risk of hair loss when taking GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound, prescribed for type 2 diabetes and obesity, according to a new study from NYU Langone Health.

Researchers studied the GLP1R gene, which encodes the GLP-1 receptor and influences receptor protein levels, using its activity as a marker for GLP-1 drug activity. They compared genetic patterns linked to higher GLP1R activity with genes in men who have androgenetic alopecia, inherited hair loss affecting the scalp's top and front. Variants tied to higher GLP-1 receptor levels were more common among these men, and the link held even after adjusting for hypertension, a known hair-loss risk factor tied to reduced scalp blood flow.

The team also checked whether insulin resistance or lower testosterone could explain the pattern; neither did, and the added 7% risk remained. "Our study provides the first genetic link between GLP-1 use and an increased risk of male-pattern hair loss from androgenetic alopecia, an association long suspected but until now not shown scientifically," said senior investigator Lynn Petukhova, PhD, of NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Hair thinning has previously been reported by users of GLP-1 drugs, often attributed to the rapid weight loss they cause, since hair regrows once weight stabilizes. Petukhova said the findings, published online Sept. 3 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, could let doctors screen patients for hair-loss risk before prescribing GLP-1 drugs, or pair them with treatments such as minoxidil; research is planned, including in women.

The analysis drew on two large genetic databases: the eQTLGen database of 31,684 people and the Complex Traits Genetics group database of 205,327 mostly white men. Androgenetic alopecia is estimated to affect about half of white American men over 50, and an estimated 12% of Americans have used GLP-1 drugs solely for weight loss.