Weight-loss injections may benefit the liver.
A person injecting wegovy
Scientists have discovered that semaglutide – the active ingredient in blockbuster jabs used to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes – can directly improve liver health, even in patients who shed little or no weight.
The drug - sold under brand names such as Wegovy and Ozempic - mimics a gut hormone known as GLP-1.
While it is widely used to help people slim down, researchers at Toronto’s Sinai Health say it may also tackle metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) - a serious liver disease linked to fat build-up.
The condition can lead to scarring and long-term damage.
Traditionally, weight loss has been seen as the main way to improve it – but the new findings challenge that idea.
Dr Daniel Drucker, a senior investigator involved in the study, said clinical trials had already hinted at something unusual.
He explained: "Patients who lose very little weight see the same reductions in liver inflammation and scarring as those who lose a great deal. Now we know why."