In the news

In October, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly shared early data suggesting their weight-loss medicines may slow measures of biological ageing. It’s an interesting result. It’s also company data, in people carrying excess weight, measured with tools scientists are still debating.

Key takeaways

  • In blood samples from 10,052 trial participants, Novo reported that people on semaglutide scored about two to three years younger on ageing clocks than people on a placebo.
  • Everyone studied was overweight or had diabetes. Whether the same applies to healthy, lean people is unknown.
  • The proven benefits haven’t changed: for people who need them, these medicines help with weight, blood sugar and heart risk, and most of the weight returns when they stop.
10,052trial participants whose blood Novo Nordisk tested for its ageing-clock analysis1Novo Nordisk, October 2026
2 to 3years lower biological age on average with semaglutide versus placebo, depending on the clock1Novo Nordisk, October 2026

The newsWhat was announced

At an ageing research conference in Boston in October, both companies shared results from “ageing clocks”: tests that estimate how old your body is from markers in your blood.1

Novo Nordisk: semaglutideBlood from 10,052 people, half on the medicine and half on a placebo, was tested before and months into treatment. Protein-based clocks showed about two to three years lower biological age overall, and up to four on a clock focused on the heart.1
Eli Lilly: tirzepatideA smaller study using DNA-based clocks. Lilly reported that, for the most part, biological age progressed more slowly in people on the medicine.1

The caveatsWhy it’s too early to call them anti-ageing drugs

Company dataPresented at a conferenceResults varied by clockOnly people carrying excess weight

The size of the effect depended on which clock and which organ was measured, and scientists still debate how well these clocks reflect real health. Even researchers involved in the work were careful: in people who are unwell, the medicine looks like it slows ageing, but in healthy people no one knows yet.1

A US government-funded study is now testing semaglutide in healthy people over 60, so clearer answers may come in the next year or two.1

Be wary of anyone selling weight-loss jabs as an anti-ageing shortcut. The evidence isn’t there, and an unknown product from an unknown source carries none of it.

What we already knowThe proven benefits are reason enough

For people carrying excess weight, the case for these medicines doesn’t rest on ageing clocks. In one large trial, adults on a weekly semaglutide injection alongside diet and exercise support lost an average of 14.9% of their weight over 68 weeks, compared with 2.4% on a dummy injection.2

Average weight lost over 68 weeks

Weekly injection, with diet and exercise support14.9%
Dummy injection, with the same support2.4%

Results from the STEP 1 trial.2 Averages don’t predict any one person’s result.

When people in that trial stopped the medicine, they regained about two-thirds of what they’d lost within a year.3 Any plan worth starting should cover what happens next, and what it will cost to keep going.

Weight loss isn’t right for everyoneMany people are already at a healthy weight for their body, and losing more can do more harm than good. That’s why every Oryx plan starts with a doctor, who looks at your health as a whole, not just the number on the scale. If food or weight is something you find hard to talk about, tell your doctor. They’re there to help, not to judge.

How Oryx helpsThe whole picture, then a plan

Our weight programme starts with a doctor looking at the whole picture: your history, your numbers and what you’ve already tried.

If a prescription is appropriate, your doctor will tell you exactly what it is and what to expect, and build a plan that includes how you’ll keep the benefit.

More about weight loss at Oryx

Programmes fromR3,600per month

QuestionsFrequently asked questions

Do weight-loss medicines slow ageing?

Early company data suggests they may slow ageing clocks in people who are overweight or have diabetes. It’s early, company-presented data, and no one knows yet whether the same applies to healthy people.

What is an ageing clock?

A test that estimates your biological age from markers in your blood, such as proteins or changes to your DNA. Scientists are still working out how well these clocks reflect real health.

Should I take a weight-loss medicine to live longer?

Not on current evidence. These medicines are prescribed to help people carrying excess weight improve their health. A doctor can tell you honestly whether that applies to you.

What happens when you stop weight-loss medicine?

In a large trial, people who stopped regained about two-thirds of the weight they’d lost within a year. A good plan covers what happens next.

Want to know what your numbers really mean? Start with the free two-minute eligibility check.

The free eligibility check takes two minutes, it’s private, and there’s no obligation. If you’re a good fit, you’ll speak to one of our doctors.

Start your free eligibility check

Questions first?WhatsApp +27 74 789 8383hello@oryx.health

References

  1. MIT Technology Review. Report on Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly ageing-clock data presented at ARDD 2026, Boston. 6 October 2026
  2. Wilding JPH et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). N Engl J Med 2021
  3. Wilding JPH et al. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: the STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes Obes Metab 2022