GLP-1 medications may reduce anxiety, depression and substance use, new study finds

A new large-scale study suggests that GLP-1 medications, commonly used to treat diabetes and obesity, may also help alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression and substance use disorders.

The register-based study, conducted by the University of Eastern Finland, Karolinska Institutet and Griffith University, followed nearly 100,000 participants in Sweden between 2009 and 2022, including over 20,000 GLP-1 users. The findings were published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Researchers found that use of GLP-1 medications, particularly semaglutide, was linked to significant reductions in psychiatric-related hospital care and sickness absence. During periods of semaglutide use, hospital care and absence were 42 per cent lower overall, with a 44 per cent reduction for depression and 38 per cent for anxiety disorders.

Semaglutide was also associated with a 47 per cent lower risk of hospital care and absence related to substance use, as well as a reduced risk of suicidal behavior.

Professor Mark Taylor from Griffith University noted that previous studies had suggested benefits for alcohol use disorders, which often impact mood and anxiety, but the magnitude of the effect on mental health outcomes was “surprisingly strong.”

Docent Markku Lähteenvuo, Research Director at the University of Eastern Finland, said that while the exact mechanisms are unclear, improvements may result from weight loss, better glycemic control or even direct neurobiological effects on the brain’s reward system.

The study adds to a growing body of research exploring the dual metabolic and mental health benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists, though earlier smaller studies have shown mixed results.