People who took semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, were 44% less likely to be treated for depression and 42% less likely to need psychiatric hospital care than when they did not use the drug, according to a major new study published in The Lancet Psychiatry.
The study, which followed nearly 100,000 individuals for 13 years, found that GLP-1 drugs have the greatest impact on mental health, according to study results.
The research was conducted by scientists from the University of Eastern Finland, Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Griffith University in Australia, based on Sweden’s health records between 2009 and 2022.
Approximately 21,500 participants had used GLP-1 receptor agonists during this period. Instead of comparing those who took these drugs to those who didn’t, scientists compared each participant’s state while taking the drug to their state without the drug.
In terms of periods of use, there was a 38% decrease in anxiety disorders, while those diagnosed with a substance use disorder requiring hospitalization or absenteeism from work saw a 47% decrease.
However, the connection goes both ways, as not only individuals suffering from obesity or type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of developing depression or anxiety, but also individuals with psychiatric conditions have an increased risk of developing metabolic diseases.
GLP-1 drugs were already known to reduce alcohol use disorders. An earlier Swedish registry study established this link, and Professor Mark Taylor of Griffith University said the downstream effect on mood was therefore expected.
“Alcohol-related problems often have downstream effects on mood and anxiety, so we expected the effect to be positive on this as well,” he said.
Research director Markku Lähteenvuo from the University of Eastern Finland stated that the study cannot definitively prove how semaglutide affects psychological well-being.
Possible mechanisms may include the effects of weight loss on body image, improved blood sugar levels that reduce stress, reduced alcohol intake, and changes in the neurobiology of the brain, especially the reward centers. “The association was quite strong,” he added, implying there is more involved here than just a lifestyle change.
