Ozempic and Wegovy may have an unexpected mental health benefit

Semaglutide, the drug behind Ozempic and Wegovy, may have benefits that extend well beyond weight loss and diabetes. In a large Swedish study of nearly 15,000 people with bipolar disorder, its use was linked to a 21% lower risk of psychiatric hospitalization. Researchers think effects on inflammation and brain-related biological pathways could help stabilize mood, though other GLP-1 drugs did not show the same association.

Ozempic and Wegovy may have an unexpected mental health benefit. Ozempic and Wegovy may have an unexpected mental health benefit Science News from research organizations Ozempic and Wegovy may have an unexpected mental health benefit Semaglutide, better known through Ozempic and Wegovy, was linked to a 21% lower risk of psychiatric hospitalization in people with bipolar disorder. Diabetes, obesity, and bipolar disorder frequently occur together and may share some underlying biological mechanisms.

According to the latest World Health Organization estimates, about one in 200 people worldwide, or roughly 37 million people, live with bipolar disorder. GLP-1 medications are already established treatments for diabetes and obesity, but their possible effects on bipolar disorder have remained unclear. Large Study Examines GLP-1 Drugs and Bipolar Disorder To investigate the connection, researchers led by Professor Mark Taylor from Griffith’s School of Medicine and Dentistry analyzed nationwide Swedish data from nearly 15,000 people with bipolar disorder who had been prescribed GLP-1 medications over a 15-year period.

"People with bipolar disorder who were taking semaglutide (otherwise known as Ozempic or Wegovy), a type of GLP-1 medication, had significantly lower rates of psychiatric hospitalization compared with periods when they were not taking GLP-1 medicines," Professor Taylor said.