Study links SNAC in oral semaglutide to gut microbiome shifts

A 21-day animal study suggests salcaprozate sodium (SNAC), the absorption aid in oral semaglutide, may alter the gut microbiome, lower short-chain fatty acids, raise inflammatory markers, increase liver weight, shrink the cecum, and reduce a brain-derived protein tied to cognitive impairment. While these findings raise questions about potential long-term effects of chronic SNAC exposure as oral obesity drugs become more common, researchers caution that results are not yet proven in humans and call for further investigation.