Study: One in six children on GLP-1 drugs developed nutritional deficiencies

A study from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago found a potential link between GLP-1 weight-loss and diabetes medications and nutritional deficiencies in children.

According to the study, one in six children taking these medications developed a nutritional deficiency within a year of starting treatment.

Vitamin D deficiency was the most common deficiency, affecting 12.4% of children.

"Nutrients such as vitamin D, iron and calcium are of particular concern during adolescence, when deficiencies may have lasting implications for skeletal health and overall development," said senior author Justin Ryder, PhD, Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Surgery at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, and Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Researchers identified more than 2,000 GLP-1 users ages 10 to 17 who had not previously been diagnosed with a nutritional deficiency.

The most commonly prescribed medication was liraglutide, sold under the brand names Victoza and Saxenda, accounting for nearly 80% of study participants.

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Researchers said the medications can affect appetite and food intake, raising concerns that adolescents taking them may not receive adequate nutrition during a critical stage of development.

The findings suggest nutritional monitoring and support may be important components of GLP-1 treatment for children and teens.

"We hope that our study findings bring much needed recognition to the importance of proactive nutritional management when GLP-1s are prescribed to children, as opposed to waiting until a nutritional deficiency is diagnosed," said Dr. Ryder. "Knowing the risks, we are in a much better position to prevent harm to children treated with GLP-1s during a pivotal period in their lives."