GLP-1 peptides like Ozempic / Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) are known for helping people lose weight and manage blood sugar. But the real story is much bigger.

Mounjaro is a type of medication called a dual incretin. It acts on two natural peptide hormone pathways in the body — GLP-1 and GIP. These are signals your body uses after eating to manage energy, hunger and insulin.

By mimicking these hormones, Mounjaro controls appetite, glucose and fat. But that’s not all. These pathways are also active in many other parts of the body — including the brain, heart, liver, and kidneys.

Here are some of the eﬀects doctors and researchers are now seeing outside of weight and blood sugar.

Your Heart

GLP-1s appear to support heart health in multiple ways.

It helps reduce inflammation in blood vessels
It improves the lining of arteries, which helps them stay flexible
It lowers markers linked to heart attacks and strokes

In large studies of GLP-1s like Ozempic and Mounjaro, people had fewer heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths — even before they lost much weight.

This suggests these benefits come from the drug’s direct action on the heart and blood vessels, not just from weight loss.

Your Kidneys

In people with type 2 diabetes, kidney problems are common. GLP-1 medications seem to protect the kidneys by:

Reducing protein loss in urine (a sign of early kidney damage)
Slowing decline in kidney function
Lowering inflammation and scarring in the kidney

In a major study published in 2024, people taking semaglutide had fewer kidney-related complications and fewer hospital admissions. Mounjaro is being studied in this area now.

Your Brain

There’s growing interest in how GLP-1 and GIP agonists affect the brain. These medications activate receptors in areas of the brain involved in appetite, memory, and mood. Some early research suggests they may help in:

Slowing memory decline
Supporting brain function in conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
Improving motivation and energy
Reducing cravings for food, alcohol, drugs or even addictive behaviours

Much of this research is still early, but the results are encouraging. Our team’s interest in the intersection between brain health and longevity is covered in our Anti-Ageing Medicine resource.

Your Liver

GLP-1s may help reduce fat in the liver.

Fatty liver disease — now very common — can lead to inflammation, scarring, and in some cases, liver failure.

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) has been shown to:

Reduce fat deposits in the liver
Improve insulin sensitivity in liver cells
Lower inflammation linked to liver damage

This is especially useful for people with insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, or metabolic syndrome.

Your Gut and Microbiome

These medications slow digestion. This helps you feel fuller for longer. But there’s more. They may also:

Improve gut barrier function
Increase healthy gut bacteria
Reduce inflammation linked to poor gut health

Your gut communicates with your immune system, brain, and metabolism. Improving this balance may have benefits beyond digestion.

Mental Wellbeing

Mounjaro and related medications are now being studied for their eﬀects on mental health.

Research is looking at:

Mood and anxiety disorders
Stress-related eating
Motivation and energy levels
Substance use and dependency

The idea is that by supporting brain chemistry and reducing inflammation, these medications might play a role in broader emotional regulation.

We don’t have all the answers yet. But early signs point to potential benefit in a range of neuropsychiatric conditions.

Hormones and Inflammation

Inflammation plays a role in many chronic diseases — including heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and dementia.

GLP-1 and GIP pathways seem to reduce several markers of inflammation throughout the body. This includes inflammatory proteins in fat tissue, blood vessels, and the brain.

By calming down these pathways, Mounjaro might help reduce the “background noise” of chronic inflammation that contributes to disease and ageing.

This ties into the broader longevity strategies we discuss here.

What This Means for You

Mounjaro is not a miracle drug.

But it is an example of how modern medicine is beginning to target the entire system — not just one symptom.

When the body’s key signalling systems are supported, the benefits can be broad. Appetite improves. Energy becomes steadier. Metabolism becomes more eﬃcient.

And over time, risks to organs like the heart, liver, kidneys, and brain may also fall.

This is what makes Mounjaro interesting — not just as a weight or diabetes drug, but as part of a wider approach to healthy ageing.

Summary

Mounjaro works through the body’s own signalling systems — GLP-1 and GIP. These systems do more than control appetite and blood sugar. They also aﬀect: