By now, you can probably list off the potential perks of going on a GLP-1 receptor agonist like Ozempic or Zepbound in your sleep. These medications can support blood sugar management, weight loss, and cardiovascular health, among many other things—this likely isn’t news to you. But the messaging around GLP-1s and mental health has been a little confusing.
When these drugs first became popular, there was a lot of public commentary that claimed taking a GLP-1 was linked with a higher risk of suicide. That sparked an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), although the agency noted in January that a preliminary evaluation of the data has not found evidence that GLP-1s cause suicidal thoughts or actions.
Now, new research suggests that taking a GLP-1 could have a huge impact on your mental health—in a good way.
Before we dive in, let’s address the big question: No, doctors aren’t suggesting that you rush out and get on a GLP-1 if you have depression or anxiety. But healthcare providers are excited about the possibility of having one more treatment option for people with these conditions—provided you need a GLP-1 in the first place. Here’s the deal.
The study is a major win for GLP-1s and mental health.
For the study, which was published in The Lancet Psychiatry, researchers analyzed data from nearly 100,000 participants who were followed through Swedish national registers between 2009 and 2022. Of those, more than 20,000 had used GLP-1 medications.
The researchers found that people who used GLP-1 medications—especially semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy)—had up to a 42% lower risk of being sick and needing hospital care for psychiatric reasons compared to when they weren’t on the medication. The researchers also found that semaglutide users with depression had a 44% lower risk, while those with anxiety disorders had a 38% lower risk. There was also a lower risk of suicidal behavior in people who used GLP-1s overall.
Semaglutide had an impact on substance use disorders, too, with people taking semaglutide having a 47% lower risk of being sick or hospitalized due to substance use.
“People with diabetes and obesity have elevated rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide,” Mark Taylor, MBBS, study co-author and psychiatrist from Griffith University, tells SELF. “The reduction in sick leave, or health related absences from work, was a most unexpected and significant result, along with the reduction in suicidal behaviors. As mental health is now the most common reason people are on sick leave, or absent from work due to ill-health, this has major implications for public health.”
