Weight loss pen can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression |

A study of nearly 100,000 participants found that semaglutide use was most associated with decreased absences from work and hospital stays.

Pens used to treat diabetes and fight obesity can also benefit mental health.— Photo: Freepik

Medicines used to treat diabetes and, more recently, to combat obesity may also be associated with mental health benefits.The process behind reducing anxiety and depression is similar to the role of these drugs in the fight against addiction.

The finding that the drug may be linked to minor mental health conditions comes from a study involving nearly 100,000 people, published this Wednesday (18) in the scientific journal "The Lancet Psychiatry."In total, more than 20,000 people were treated with GLP-1 analogs.

➡️These drugs are known in this way to simulate the function of GLP-1 hormone in the body.Initially, they were developed for the treatment of diabetes.For example, Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, is one of them and has gained popularity because it is also effective in weight loss.(remember how it works in the body below)

The results of the study showed that the use of semaglutide was mainly associated with a reduction in absenteeism from work and hospitalizations for psychiatric reasons.

While using the substance, patients experienced a 42% reduction in these problems compared to when they were not treated with semaglutide.

👉 If the disease is checked individually:

- For weight, it is 44% less;

- And for anxiety disorders, it was 38% lower.

Mark Taylor, a professor at Griffith University and one of the study's researchers, says it is still difficult to confirm the reason for this relationship.

He points out that, in addition to simple weight loss and personal improvement, there is evidence that better blood sugar control can improve mood.

But it seems that more points are involved in the mechanism of action of semaglutide in the body and its effects on mental health.

“Some GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide, have a central effect on the brain, possibly through dopamine-related reward pathways, as well as having anti-inflammatory effects or stimulating brain recovery,” says Taylor.

⚠️The researcher also believes that although the study shows a strong connection between the two factors, the survey itself is not able to demonstrate cause and effect.

How does tirzepatide and semaglutide work - Photo: Arte/

Reducing substance dependence

In addition to the positive impact on mental health, semaglutide use has been associated with a lower risk of developing drug dependence.

"Hospitalizations and absences related to the use of substances are 47% lower during periods of drug use, compared to periods without GLP-1," highlight the researchers in the study.

This is not the first study to show this association.

For example, research by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has already shown that GLP-1 class drugs may be a new way to treat and prevent addiction to multiple substances simultaneously.

Another analysis of Swedish patient records in 2025 in the basic science journal "Pharmacology & Toxicology" showed an association between the use of semaglutide and a lower risk of alcohol-related disorders.

Limits and next steps

Taylor emphasizes that one of the main limitations of the study is the inability to determine causality, indicating a strong association.

“What would be necessary is a randomized clinical trial that ideally compares the drug with an already established active treatment,” says the researcher.

Although more research is needed to verify and prove this relationship, he says that this type of medicine can open a new line of research that studies the interaction between metabolism, the brain and behavior.

How semaglutide works in the body

Semaglutide is one of the main injectable drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Unlike current drugs, such as terzepatide, semaglutide mimics the action of a single hormone in the body: GLP-1.

Naturally, this hormone is secreted mainly by cells in the intestine.It goes to the brain, hypothalamus, and stimulates other cells, reducing appetite.

However, GLP-1 has a short shelf life.DDPP4, an enzyme produced by our body, quickly ends the effects of the hormone that causes the feeling of hunger to develop rapidly.

In the case of medicines that mimic the action of hormones, they inhibit the action of the DPP4 enzyme, which means they stay in the body longer.As a result, the medicine reduces appetite and makes you feel full

⚠️ It should be included in the treatment strategy and prescribed under the supervision of a doctor.

According to the STEP 1 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, semaglutide 2.4 mg (Wegovy) promotes an average weight loss of 17%, with one-third of patients achieving a loss of more than 20%.