Semaglutide reduces fat accumulation in the tongue: A randomized single-blind, pilot study

Mojca Jensterle; Simona Ferjan; Andrej Vovk; Tadej Battelino; Manfredi Rizzo; Andrej Janež

doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2021.108935

Semaglutide reduces fat accumulation in the tongue: A randomized single-blind, pilot study

Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2021 Aug:178:108935. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2021.108935. Epub 2021 Jul 2.

Authors

Mojca Jensterle¹, Simona Ferjan¹, Andrej Vovk², Tadej Battelino³, Manfredi Rizzo⁴, Andrej Janež⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
² Center for Clinical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
³ Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
⁴ Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (Promise), University of Palermo, Italy.
⁵ Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: andrej.janez@kclj.si.

PMID: 34217774
DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2021.108935

Abstract

Aim: We evaluated the effect of the latest GLP-1 RA semaglutide on tongue fat storage in obese women.

Design: We conducted a randomized single-blind, pilot study.

Methods: Twenty-five obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (33.7 ± 5.3 years, body mass index (BMI) 36.1 ± 3.9 kg/m2, mean ± SD) were randomized to semaglutide 1.0 mg or placebo for 16 weeks. We quantified tongue volume and its fat tissue and fat proportion by magnetic resonance imaging.

Results: Tongue fat tissue and fat proportion significantly reduced after semaglutide vs placebo (-1.94 ± 5.51 vs. + 3.12 ± 4.87 cm³, p = 0.022, and -0.02 ± 0.07 vs. 0.04 ± 0.06, p = 0.010, respectively). Correlation analysis revealed that these reductions were associated with those in body weight, BMI and waist circumference (p = 0.010 for all).

Conclusions: This is the first study confirming the beneficial effect of semaglutide on tongue structure in obese women with PCOS. Further studies are needed to assess the clinical importance of such findings.

Keywords: Glucagon like peptide-1 receptor; Obesity; PCOS; Semaglutide; Tongue fat.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adiposity*
Adult
Double-Blind Method
Female
Glucagon-Like Peptides / therapeutic use*
Humans
Obesity / drug therapy*
Pilot Projects
Single-Blind Method
Tongue*

Substances

semaglutide
Glucagon-Like Peptides