Can weight loss drugs affect your mental health? Experts share insights [Video]

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), medications that help control type 2 diabetes and obesity, can have a profound impact on physical wellness – but what about mental health?

Some examples of these medications include semaglutides, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, and liraglutide, like Victoza and Saxenda.

Various studies have pointed toward GLP-1 RAs causing mental health complications, such as anxiety and depression.

WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS’ IMPACT ON CANCER RISK REVEALED IN NEW STUDY

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) published research in June 2024 that considered the correlation between semaglutide therapy and “exacerbating mood disturbances.”

The study highlighted the association of negative mood changes in patients with type 2 diabetes with a history of depression, warning healthcare providers to be aware of this “potential risk.”

But a more recent study, published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, suggested that these mood changes were linked to genetic variations across diverse populations and ancestries within the U.K. Biobank. 

While GLP-1 RA variants had “consistent cardiometabolic effects” across all groups, …