A NEW study from Adelaide University suggests that a key ingredient in tablet versions of blockbuster weight loss drugs, salcaprozate sodium (SNAC), may have measurable adverse biological effects for the gut and beyond.
SNAC is used to enhance absorption of semaglutide when taken orally, and is not needed when injected as the drug is absorbed directly into the bloodstream.
Testing on animals revealed lower levels of beneficial gut bacteria that help break down dietary fibre, higher levels of blood inflammatory markers and reduced levels of a brain-derived protein associated with cognitive impairment, among other changes.
While the study does not directly show that SNAC causes harm, and the findings were in an animal model rather than in humans, the findings suggest that the absorption enhancer may have biological effects beyond simply helping semaglutide work in pill form.
Read the research HERE.
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