GLP-1 medications used for diabetes and obesity were associated with fewer hospital visits and less sickness absence due to psychiatric reasons, according to a Mar. 18 study by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland, Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and Griffith University in Australia.
The findings are significant because people with diabetes and obesity often face higher risks of mental health symptoms, while those with mental disorders are more likely to develop metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Understanding how treatments like GLP-1 medications affect both physical and mental health could help improve care for these patients.
The study analyzed data from nearly 100,000 participants tracked through Swedish national registers between 2009 and 2022. More than 20,000 participants had used GLP-1 medications during this period. The results showed that using GLP-1 drugs—especially semaglutide—was linked to a notable reduction in sickness absence and hospital care for psychiatric reasons. During periods when semaglutide was used, there was a 42% decrease compared to times without GLP-1 medication use. The risk of depression dropped by 44%, while anxiety disorders saw a 38% reduction.
Semaglutide use was also tied to a lower risk of substance use disorders; hospital care and sickness absence related to substance use were found to be 47% lower during periods of semaglutide use compared with periods without GLP-1 medication. Additionally, the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists was associated with a reduced risk of suicidal behavior.
Professor Mark Taylor from Griffith University said such results were anticipated: "An earlier study examining Swedish registers found the use of GLP-1 medications to be associated with a reduced risk of alcohol use disorder. Alcohol-related problems often have downstream effects on mood and anxiety, so we expected the effect to be positive on these as well." However, Research Director Docent Markku Lähteenvuo from the University of Eastern Finland said the strength of the association was surprising: "Because this is a registry-based study, we cannot determine exactly why or how these medications affect mood symptoms, but the association was quite strong. It is possible that, in addition to factors such as reduced alcohol consumption, weight loss-related improvements in body image, or relief associated with better glycaemic control in diabetes, there may also be direct neurobiological mechanisms involved – for example, through changes in the functioning of the brain's reward system."
The findings were published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal. While other recent studies on GLP-1 medications' effects on anxiety and depressive disorders have shown mixed results—often based on smaller sample sizes—this large-scale research adds important evidence about their potential benefits.
