Featured Image Credit: Varlay / Getty
Research continues into the use of GLP-1 injections like Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro, with it feeling like just as many people are recommending the so-called 'skiny jabs' as are decrying them. While these were originally supposed to stimulate insulin release and lower blood sugar to treat type 2 diabetes, an unexpected side effect included the ability to manage hunger and lead to potential weight loss.
With this, GLP-1s have had a boom in celebrity circles as celebrities ranging from Elon Musk to Oprah Winfrey have admitted to using them. As they've grown in popularity and prices have come down, thanks to a little help from President Donald Trump, they're becoming more readily available to the general public.
More and more people are taking skinny jabs, meaning there's an increase in health warnings about side effects like vision problems, mental health issues, and even potential death. Other circles continue to promote them for supposed benefits to your heart, claiming it can reverse liver disease, and promote longevity as the human race tries to live forever.
The FDA has decreed that, when used properly, the benefits outweigh potential risks.
Advert
In an investigation from The Times, it asks whether GLP-1s could be a 'cure-all' applied to far more than just those looking to lose weight. It tells the story of a woman called Laurel Schmidt, who was hit by a car while picking up her daughters in November 2017.
Diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and severe post-concussion syndrome in her mid-30s, Schmidt has been suffering for nearly a decade and was told that there's no cure. With symptoms including dizziness, impaired vision, and memory faltering, she stopped driving and largely took to lying in a dark room.
That was until she discovered animal and cell research that claimed GLP-1s could be used to treat concussions. Although surprised, Schmidt tracked down one of the researchers, as Indiana University chemist Richard DiMarchi suggested she ask her doctor about trying a GLP-1 drug off-label. This is where medication is prescribed for a use that has not yet been formally approved.
Describing her turnaround as 'miraculous', Schmidt maintains that she felt like a new woman within days of starting GLP-1 in February 2025.
It's said that her post-crash concussion symptom scale scored her at over 100 out of a possible 132, dropping down to just six in Autumn 2025.
The outlet explains how GLP-1s could soon be deemed a 'blockbuster drug class' that is adopted by millions for a multitude of different uses.
Over a year of research, health and science journalist Julia Belluz reported speaking to patients who claim Covid symptoms, irritable bowel syndrome, and even drug addiction have all been improved by these jabs.
People on the likes of Reddit are sharing their own success stories, while some have taken to 'microdosing' GLP-1s in hopes of improving longevity. Belluz warns that as much of this experimentation is taking place outside of clinical trials, regulators "urgently need to figure out how best to capture and keep pace with the experiment," before "it risks spinning out of control."
It's estimated that one in eight people in the USA have taken GLP-1s, with many following in Schmidt's footsteps by experimenting with off-label uses.
DiMarchi says that while many diseases share the same root causes, there's a potential to treat a wide range of conditions with a single drug class. Still, he reiterated: "What we know right now is small relative to what we don’t know."
In terms of Schmidt, he thinks the GLP-1 could've reduced inflammation in her brain, pushing for human trials in treating concussion, but concluded: "There’s incredible promise here. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves."
