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What's New
PubMed · December 1, 2026
A study found that people with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure who lost weight through a dietary program — about 25 pounds on average over 12 months — were able to cut back on their high blood pressure medications, yet their blood pressure stayed just as well controlled as before. In fact, their heart rate and certain measures of blood pressure fluctuation during the night also improved. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Medications
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that tirzepatide (brand name Mounjaro), a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza, was linked to fewer serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes in people with type 2 diabetes or obesity. The analysis looked at 22 studies involving more than 29,000 people and also found that those taking tirzepatide were less likely to die from any cause compared to those who weren't taking it. This appears to be a new finding about tirzepatide's heart-related benefits, and researchers noted that higher doses were linked to even greater reductions in serious heart problems.
Medications
PubMed · September 1, 2026
A study found that tirzepatide — sold under the brand name Zepbound for obesity and Mounjaro for diabetes — helped people with obesity lose meaningful amounts of weight and improve their overall health markers, including blood sugar level (A1C). Researchers looked at whether people who lost at least 5% of their body weight within the first 8 weeks of treatment (called 'early responders') did better overall, and found that they did see greater improvements compared to those who lost less weight early on. This is a new finding about how early weight loss on tirzepatide may signal better long-term results, which is something people might find helpful to discuss with their doctor.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza helped protect against serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes equally well in people with type 2 diabetes, regardless of whether they also had reduced kidney function — meaning the kidneys' ability to filter blood was lower than normal. What's especially interesting is that people with reduced kidney function appeared to get a somewhat larger real-world benefit, because their overall heart risk was already higher to begin with. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that survodutide — a newer medication that works similarly to a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza but also activates a second biological pathway — helped improve how well the body responds to insulin (meaning the body needed less insulin to manage blood sugar) and improved blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. Some of these improvements appeared to go beyond just the weight loss the medication caused, suggesting the drug may have direct benefits on how the body handles blood sugar. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that people who stopped taking a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza (semaglutide) or a similar drug called tirzepatide regained weight fairly quickly after stopping — about half of the weight they had lost came back within roughly seven and a half months, and most people returned close to their starting weight within about fifteen months. The study also found that people who lost more weight during treatment tended to regain it faster afterward, possibly because the body works harder to return to its previous weight. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed (Open Access Guidelines) · September 1, 2026
Researchers found that among people with type 2 diabetes, a surprisingly high number — roughly 1 in 7 — showed signs of having too much cortisol in their body, a hormone that, when overproduced, can make blood sugar control much harder and cause weight gain. This matters because that overproduction (sometimes called Cushing's syndrome) is often missed in people who already have diabetes or obesity, meaning the real cause of their struggles might be going untreated. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
ScienceDaily · August 21, 2026
Researchers found that just six 30-second sprints changed nearly a quarter of the proteins in the bloodstream and over 200 other chemical markers — far more than 90 minutes of moderate cycling did. Some of those proteins are linked to lower risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes, which could matter for people managing their blood sugar. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed (Guideline Reviews) · August 21, 2026
Researchers found that low testosterone — a hormone that plays a key role in men's energy, weight, and metabolism — is surprisingly common in men with type 2 diabetes, affecting an estimated 35 to 50 percent of them. The review explored whether having low testosterone makes a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza work less well, or whether those medications might actually help improve testosterone levels. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 18, 2026
Researchers found that weight-loss surgery — such as gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy, procedures that shrink the stomach or change how food moves through the digestive system — may offer lasting benefits for people living with both obesity and type 2 diabetes, including better blood sugar control (A1C) and reduced risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes, compared to non-surgical treatments. The study looked at results over several years and compared multiple types of surgery against each other to see which worked best. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 15, 2026
Researchers found that tirzepatide (a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza) was linked to a noticeably lower chance of high blood pressure problems — but also a higher chance of blood pressure dropping too low, especially at higher doses. The other medication studied, semaglutide, didn't show a strong effect in either direction when it came to blood pressure. For people with type 2 diabetes who also have concerns about blood pressure, this difference between the two medications could be worth a conversation with their doctor. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether tirzepatide or semaglutide might affect the patient's blood pressure, and if so, whether the patient's blood pressure should be checked more often while taking either of these medications.
Medications
PubMed · August 11, 2026
A study found that tirzepatide — sold under brand names like Mounjaro or Zepbound — may improve several biological markers linked to heart health in people with obesity, including signs of inflammation and metabolic stress, which are factors that can raise the risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes. Researchers analyzed blood samples from participants over 72 weeks and compared those taking tirzepatide to those taking a placebo (an inactive treatment). This appears to be a new finding about how the medication may benefit heart-related health beyond just weight loss, though it looked at biological markers rather than actual heart events.
What's New
JAMA · August 4, 2026
Researchers found that people taking a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza may be more likely to experience changes in their sense of smell or taste — meaning foods might smell or taste different, weaker, or even unpleasant. This could matter for people with type 2 diabetes because these medications are widely used, and changes in smell or taste can affect appetite, enjoyment of food, and overall quality of life. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient should know about reports that GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Wegovy might affect the ability to smell or taste food.
Medications
JAMA · August 4, 2026
Researchers found that newer diabetes medications like Ozempic (semaglutide) and similar drugs have shown broad benefits for people with type 2 diabetes, going well beyond just lowering blood sugar — including helping with weight loss, protecting the kidneys, and reducing the risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes. The research also highlights two newer options, mazdutide and orforglipron, which are being studied as potential additional choices in this growing class of medications. This represents an update on emerging treatment options, not a new safety concern.
Lifestyle
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that eating a low-carbohydrate diet built around plant foods — think vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains, while cutting back heavily on bread, sugar, and starchy foods — helped people with obesity or related health conditions lose roughly 5 to 7 kilograms (about 11 to 15 pounds). The same approach also lowered harmful LDL cholesterol and improved blood sugar level (A1C), which measures how well the body has been managing blood sugar over the past few months. These results came from seven studies involving nearly 1,000 adults and lasted anywhere from about one month to one year.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza helped children and teenagers with obesity lower their body weight, and also helped young people with type 2 diabetes improve their blood sugar level (A1C). The most common side effects were nausea and vomiting, which tended to be temporary, and importantly, researchers did not find signs that the medications interfered with normal growth or puberty in kids. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that among people with type 2 diabetes who are also overweight or obese, high-intensity interval training — short bursts of intense movement followed by rest — produced the biggest improvements in blood sugar level (A1C), with a combination of different exercise types coming in second. All forms of exercise studied, including resistance training and mind-body practices like yoga or tai chi, showed some benefit for blood sugar control compared to no exercise. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with type 2 diabetes who followed a low-calorie formula diet for 12 weeks lost weight and improved their blood sugar level (A1C) — and interestingly, the diet also caused shifts in trace elements like copper, zinc, and selenium (minerals the body needs in tiny amounts to function properly) in their blood. The type of formula diet mattered, with different formulas producing slightly different changes in these minerals. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that certain injectable diabetes medications like Ozempic or Victoza — when given as a shot under the skin — were effective at reducing total body fat, fat around the organs (called visceral fat), fat just beneath the skin, and fat in the liver in adults with overweight or obesity. Interestingly, these medications did not appear to significantly reduce lean tissue, meaning the weight lost seemed to come mostly from fat rather than muscle. This matters for people with obesity because losing fat while keeping muscle is generally considered a healthier outcome. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Lifestyle
PubMed · August 1, 2026
A study found that Latino adults in low-income urban neighborhoods who visited parks regularly were less likely to have type 2 diabetes compared to those who visited parks less often. Researchers also found that people who got more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity — the kind that raises your heart rate, like brisk walking — reported fewer symptoms of depression. Having support from family members to be physically active was linked to lower rates of high blood pressure among the people in this study.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that when people with obesity took liraglutide — a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza also used for weight management — the medication's ability to reduce appetite had very little to do with slowing down how quickly food leaves the stomach. Scientists had suspected that this slowing effect (called delayed gastric emptying) was a key reason the medication helps people feel less hungry, but the study found it explained only a very small part of the picture. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that semaglutide — the active ingredient in medications like Ozempic and Wegovy — may do more than help with weight loss and blood sugar control. Across 23 studies, it was linked to meaningful reductions in deep belly fat (the fat stored around internal organs, which is more harmful than the fat just under the skin) and a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease compared to other treatments. This is exciting for people with obesity because deep belly fat is tied to brain health, and finding a medication that may protect both the body and the mind is a promising direction. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that when comparing weight-loss surgery to newer diabetes medications like Ozempic or Victoza in people with type 2 diabetes, surgery led to greater overall body weight loss. This matters because people with type 2 diabetes now have two powerful options for losing significant weight, and knowing how they compare could help patients have more informed conversations with their doctor. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
Researchers found that community health workers — local helpers trained to support people with health conditions in their own neighborhoods — were able to help lower the top number in a blood pressure reading (called systolic blood pressure) by an average of about 5 to 7 points in people with high blood pressure in India. This kind of drop can be meaningful because even modest improvements in blood pressure may help reduce the risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes over time. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
The Lancet · July 30, 2026
Researchers found that combining two hormone-based signals in a single medication — one like a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza, and another mimicking amylin (a natural hormone released with insulin that helps control appetite and slow digestion) — may offer better blood sugar control and weight loss for people with type 2 diabetes than either approach alone. This dual approach works by targeting multiple points in the body at once, including the brain, pancreas, and digestive system, which could make it more effective at managing hunger and blood sugar levels. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
ScienceDaily · July 26, 2026
Researchers found that diabetes isn't just about having too much fat — it can also happen when the body loses healthy fat tissue that it actually needs to function well. When fat cells become damaged and inflamed, they can stop working properly and disappear, which throws off the body's metabolism (the system that turns food into energy). This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
ScienceDaily · July 25, 2026
A press release describes early findings suggesting that a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza, taken in pill form, may reduce pleasure-driven eating by calming a part of the brain linked to cravings and reward. For people with obesity, this is interesting because it hints that these medications might work not just on metabolism but also on the urge to eat for pleasure rather than hunger. This is early research in mice and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 25, 2026
Researchers found that a dark, velvety skin change called acanthosis nigricans — which often appears on the neck, armpits, or skin folds — may be a visible warning sign of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions (like high blood sugar, excess belly fat, and high blood pressure) that together raise the risk of serious health problems and death. In the studies reviewed, roughly 7 out of 10 people who had this skin change also showed signs linked to metabolic syndrome, most often insulin resistance, meaning their body wasn't responding well to insulin. For people with type 2 diabetes, this finding matters because spotting this skin change early might help doctors identify those at higher risk before more serious problems develop. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Lifestyle
ScienceDaily · July 18, 2026
A study found that people with obesity who limited all their eating to an eight-hour window each day — for example, eating only between noon and 8 p.m. — kept more weight off even a full year after the 12-week program ended, compared to people who ate on their usual schedule. The benefit showed up whether people chose an earlier or later eight-hour window, though an earlier eating window seemed especially good at helping people hold on to fat loss specifically. Researchers found this approach helped people with obesity maintain their results over time, not just while they were actively following the program.
What's New
PubMed · July 16, 2026
Researchers found that smartphone and app-based tools that send people personalized nudges or tips at just the right moment — like when they're most likely to make a poor food choice — may help people eat healthier in their everyday lives. For someone managing obesity, this kind of real-time, tailored support could make it easier to build better habits without relying on memory or willpower alone. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult a physician before making any health decisions.