Semaglutide and Intestinal Iron Absorption

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) affects over 537 million people worldwide, making it a major chronic and progressive health problem among adults. Novel approaches to managing T2DM have been developed as a result of medical advancements. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are appealing options for the treatment of T2DM, since they efficiently reduce body weight and haemoglobin A1C with a minimal risk of hypoglycaemia. Semaglutide, a long-acting GLP-1 RA, has a very high structural homology with endogenous GLP-1, high binding affinity to albumin, and resistance to degradation by the intestinal enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase-4. Because of these characteristics and his extended half-life, it can be used once weekly. Similar to all other GLP-1 RAs, semaglutide decreases gastrointestinal motility and slows stomach emptying. Delay in stomach emptying and intestinal motility can interfere with vitamin, mineral, and drug absorption. Iron is one of the essential micronutrients in the human body. On average, 10 - 20 mg of iron is consumed daily through food, but only 1 - 2 mg of iron is absorbed in the duodenum and the first section of the small intestine. It has been shown that drugs which decrease gastrointestinal motility can interfere with iron absorption. However, the relationship between parenteral semaglutide administration and intestine iron absorption has not been the subject of any prior studies. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether there is an effect of parenteral administration of semaglutide on iron absorption in patients with T2DM.