GLP-1 receptor agonists used for weight loss, such as Manjaro and Ozempic, may increase the risk of hair loss.
In recent years
Risk of hair loss associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in adults with type 2 diabetes: target trial emulation | The BMJ
https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100077
Study Finds a Worrying New Side Effect of GLP-1 Drugs That No One's Talking About : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/common-weight-loss-drugs-have-been-linked-to-a-higher-risk-of-hair-loss
GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic and Manjaro are widely used as weight-loss drugs, but questions remain about the side effects and potential adverse effects of these medications. One of the side effects that has emerged for GLP-1 receptor agonists is alopecia, or hair loss, but so far there has been no conclusive evidence to show a link between the two.
Therefore, a research team at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States compared 12,004 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who began taking GLP-1 receptor agonists with 15,221 patients also diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who began taking SGLT2 inhibitors . Furthermore, they compared 11,964 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who began taking GLP-1 receptor agonists with 11,238 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who began taking DPP-4 inhibitors to investigate whether GLP-1 receptor agonists cause hair loss.
Statistical analysis, taking into account variables influencing hair loss risk such as age, sex, ethnicity, and medical history, revealed a significant association between GLP-1 receptor agonists and alopecia. The increased risk of alopecia associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists was reported to be 37% higher than with SGLT2 inhibitors and 68% higher than with DDP-4 inhibitors. Specifically, the incidence of alopecia per 1000 people was approximately 7 for patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists, compared to approximately 5 for SGLT2 inhibitors and approximately 4 for DDP-4 inhibitors.
The graph below shows the cumulative incidence of alopecia on the vertical axis and the number of years since medication began on the horizontal axis. Comparing GLP-1 receptor agonists (blue) and SGLT2 inhibitors (yellow), it can be seen that the incidence of alopecia increases with age when using GLP-1 receptor agonists.
The following graph shows the cumulative incidence of alopecia on the vertical axis and the number of years since medication began on the horizontal axis. Comparing GLP-1 receptor agonists (blue) and DDP-4 inhibitors (red), it is clear that patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists have a higher incidence of alopecia.
Further research is needed to understand why GLP-1 receptor agonists increase the risk of alopecia, but since rapid weight loss has long been associated with hair loss , it is possible that weight loss caused by GLP-1 receptor agonists is a contributing factor.
Alopecia is certainly not a problem that can be ignored, but the weight loss and improvement in type 2 diabetes that GLP-1 receptor agonists can bring are valuable to many people. The research team stated, 'Although the absolute risk is low, being aware of this potential impact may help in deciding on treatment strategies.'
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