More GLP-1 news your knees need
If you're one of the more than 86% of people with Type 2 diabetes who are overweight or obese, there's a good chance you're also dealing with joint pain in your knees. That's because obesity is a major cause of osteoarthritis, and not just because excess weight stresses joints; it's also a major cause of joint-damaging inflammation. As a result, people with Type 2 diabetes are nearly twice as likely to have severe osteoarthritis requiring joint replacement as folks without Type 2 diabetes. And it isn't just a problem for older people. More than half of people ages 18 to 64 with Type 2 diabetes have arthritis -- only 27% of those without the disease do.
Unfortunately, if that's you and you need a total knee replacement, the risk of serious post-op complications, such as sepsis, surgical site infections and heart failure, is also increased.
But there's good news. A new study found that taking semaglutide (Ozempic) for two to three months before you have knee replacement slashes the chance that you will have complications afterward. In this study, folks' risk of severe complications fell by 55% to 72%, and minor complications also were dramatically reduced. Those benefits may come from a combination of weight loss taking pressure off the knee joint and reduction in body-wide inflammation.
For more ways to ease arthritis symptoms and protect mobility, check out my Arthritis Foundation webinar "Taming Inflammation with Culinary Medicine" with Chef Jim Perko (we did "The What to Eat When Cookbook" together) at arthritis.org.
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@4YOUngevity.com.
(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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