Weight-loss drugs have been found to have an impact on mental health

A Swiss study has found that well-being and quality of life can be improved to a greater extent than with insulin and other diabetes drugs. Weight-loss drugs can be good for people's mental health and help curb their appetite, according to research.

A study by scientists at the University of Bern in Switzerland has found that appetite suppressant injections also improve mood, well-being and quality of life to a greater extent than insulin and other anti-diabetic drugs, The Guardian reports.

Originally developed for patients with diabetes, these drugs have transformed the treatment of obesity, and there is growing evidence of their broader health benefits.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that around 13-15% of working-age people in England and Wales have a long-term mental health or behavioural problem, with 2 million people accessing NHS mental health services in December 2024.

The study, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, Spain, also found that weight-loss drugs are safe and effective for adults taking antipsychotics or antidepressants for severe mental illness.

The drugs, The Guardian reports, belong to a group known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, which slow digestion and reduce appetite. The authors found that treatment with drugs containing semaglutide was not associated with worse mental health or an increased risk of new mental illness or psychiatric hospitalization.

Five studies have shown that they do improve mental well-being and quality of life in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, major depressive disorders and bipolar disorder. In adults without mental illness, weight-loss injections had a more beneficial effect on mental health than insulin and other diabetes drugs.

Lead author of the study, Dr Sigrid Breit from the University of Bern, said: “GLP-1 RAs receptor agonists may have antidepressant and calming effects, possibly due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which may also help reduce neuroinflammation. “These findings are particularly important for people with severe mental disorders, who are three times more likely to be obese than the general population.”

Mental health experts have welcomed the findings. Dr Ed Beveridge, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, who is responsible for physical health, said: “We know that for a variety of reasons, many people with mental illness have problems managing their weight. So if they are clinically considered eligible, it is vital that they are considered as a priority group for access to semaglutide, with appropriate monitoring arrangements in place once prescribed.”

Rachel Hastings-Kaplan, clinical research policy manager at Rethink Mental Disease, said: “The physical health of people with serious mental illness is often neglected and they tragically die on average 20 years earlier than the rest of the population, often from preventable conditions such as diabetes. They face difficult choices about taking medications such as antipsychotics, which, although potentially reducing the symptoms of mental illness and helping them to cope in everyday life, can make their physical health worse due to their side effects.

While this research on weight loss drugs is important and promising, we believe that such drugs are only a short-term solution. We need to increase investment in finding treatments, whether new drugs or other forms of clinical support, that improve mental illness without serious side effects. Weight loss injections should only be prescribed by a doctor and in conjunction with a doctor’s advice, and special attention should be given to people at risk of eating disorders.”