Fat jabs like Ozempic and Mounjaro more effective than diabetes drug metformin at preventing the disease - and patients have fewer side effects, major analysis finds

Published: 12:56 EDT, 2 November 2026 | Updated: 13:39 EDT, 2 November 2026 Fat jabs like Ozempic and Mounjaro could be more effective than diabetes drugs at preventing the disease, a study suggests.Researchers found that people taking the GLP-1 injections had a 31 per cent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those taking metformin, the gold standard treatment for the condition.They also had a 41 per cent lower risk of dying from any cause and were less likely to suffer a heart attack, stroke or heart failure.Experts said the findings raise the prospect of the drugs – which are currently used to treat type 2 diabetes, as well as obesity – being used for prevention.'The great news with prediabetes is that it's still possible to reverse the progression of the disease,' said study author Dr Vinicius de Sousa Barzon Serra, a research fellow in the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona.'This research may add to the case for considering GLP-1 medications earlier for certain patients, rather than waiting until they develop type 2 diabetes.'Prediabetes, which affects one in 12 Britons, is when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. The study analysed the records of more than 250,000 adults with obesity and prediabetes. Fat jabs like Ozempic and Mounjaro are more effective than diabetes drugs at preventing the disease, a study suggestsHalf were taking drugs including semaglutide, the ingredient used in Ozempic and Wegovy, and tirzepatide, which is found in Mounjaro.The remaining patients were taking metformin, the most widely prescribed diabetes medicine in the UK.Of the 4.2 million people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in Britain, three million take metformin.The drug is typically prescribed to people who already have a diabetes diagnosis but it is sometimes prescribed off-label for prevention.However, the new research suggests that weight loss jabs are more effective than metformin at halting diabetes progression.Compared with those taking metformin, patients on the injections were 50 per cent more likely to restore their blood sugar levels to normal, dramatically reducing their chances of progressing to full-blown type 2 diabetes. They also suffered 25 per cent fewer cases of heart failure, 20 per cent fewer strokes and 15 per cent fewer heart attacks. Cases of atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disorder that can increase the risk of stroke, were also 8 per cent lower. Experts believe the benefits may be driven largely by the dramatic weight loss caused by the drugs.This can improve the body's sensitivity to insulin and help return blood sugar levels to healthier levels.Dr Serra stressed that metformin remains a first-line treatment and is vastly cheaper than the injections, which can cost patients up to £300 a month. 'This is less about replacing one medication with another and more about discussing additional options with specific patients,' he added. Commenting on the findings, American Heart Association past volunteer president Robert Eckel, who was not involved in the study, said weight loss jabs 'provide another option for prevention'.Set to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2026, the research has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal.Based on medical records rather than a clinical trial, the researchers warned it also cannot prove the drugs directly caused the benefits seen.