At Crohn’s & Colitis Congress 2026, a large Mayo Clinic real-world analysis (580 GLP-1–exposed patients) found that patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease who used GLP-1s had:
- Significantly lower steroid use
- Fewer hospitalizations
- Fewer intestinal resections
- Lower mortality
Compared with matched IBD patients not on GLP-1 therapy.
This was an observational study — so no causality — but the consistency across both UC and Crohn’s suggests a potential anti-inflammatory signal.
Bottom line: GLP-1s appear safe in IBD and may even confer benefit, particularly in patients with comorbid obesity or cardiometabolic disease. Prospective studies are needed before positioning them as adjunctive therapy.