- GLP-1 medications are associated with a lower risk of worsening anxiety and depression.
- GLP-1 drugs may help reduce key symptoms of binge eating disorder and “food noise.”
- Other surprising mental health benefits of GLP-1s include reduced impulsivity and violent behaviors.
- Additionally, setting personal goals can help make GLP-1 medications more effective.
Researchers are increasingly interested in examining the effects of GLP-1 medications beyond weight loss and diabetes management
In addition to various physical health benefits, such as a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, recent studies have shown positive mental health benefits associated with GLP-1 drugs
This includes reducing depression and anxiety, managing binge eating disorder, reducing “food noise,” and reducing impulsivity and violent behaviors
Recent research has also shown that setting personal goals can help make GLP-1s more effective for weight loss
This roundup of five studies highlights the ways in which GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound, can affect mental health
GLP-1s help improve anxiety, depression symptoms
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
, people with diabetes may be at a higher risk of developing mental health conditions
A Swedish study published in The Lancet Psychiatry
found that GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy can not only help manage diabetes, but may also help reduce the risk of worsening mental health issues in people with anxiety and depression
Four specific GLP-1 medications were examined:
- semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsus)
- liraglutide (Saxenda)
- exenatide (Byetta, Bydureon BCise)
- dulaglutide (Trulicity)
Over an average follow-up of 5.2 years, about 23.5% of the cohort used GLP-1 receptor agonists. Semaglutide and liraglutide were the most common
The study showed that using semaglutide was associated with a 42% lower risk of worsening mental illness compared to periods when the participants were not taking a GLP-1 medication
When looking at specific mental health conditions, semaglutide use was linked to significantly lower risks of worsening depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders
Lauren Grawert, MD, a clinical advisor at The Garden New Jersey who wasn’t involved in the study, previously told Healthline that GLP-1 medications may provide psychiatric benefits because they can cross the blood-brain barrier and bind to brain regions associated with the reward system
GLP-1s may help manage binge eating disorder
A new systematic review and meta-analysis published in eClinical Medicine showed that GLP-1 medications may help to reduce key symptoms of binge eating disorder. These included binge eating severity, loss of control eating, and emotional eating
They also appeared to increase cognitive or dietary restraint, a form of conscious effort to control food intake
The researchers searched major medical databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that were published between 2005 and April 2026, which is the period during which GLP-1 medications have been in use
A total of 25 RCTs met the criteria, which included 8,069 participants, about two-thirds of whom were female and the majority of whom identified as white, with an average age of 47
The most commonly studied GLP-1 medication was liraglutide, followed by semaglutide, dulaglutide, tirzepatide, and several others
The analysis revealed that participants who received GLP-1 medications experienced consistent, moderate reductions in core binge-eating symptoms compared with those who received a placebo or other comparators
“The results of this study do not suggest GLP-1 receptor agonist medications should supplant evidence-based treatments for binge eating disorder, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT),” Grawert previously told Healthline
GLP-1 help quiet ‘food noise’
“Food noise” is intrusive and persistent thoughts about food that can interfere with your daily life and make health behaviors more difficult
A recent study presented at the European Congress on Obesity in May examined short-term changes in food noise in a digital behavioral weight management program both with and without GLP-1 medications. The results have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal
“Food noise is powerful, so when the noise is less, and the environment is more ‘quiet,’ the individual is less likely to consume foods that may contribute to weight gain,” Kristin Kirkpatrick, president of KAK Consulting and dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Department of Wellness & Preventive Medicine in Cleveland, OH, who wasn’t involved in the study, previously told Healthline
The observational study included 417 adults who were participating in a digital weight management program. The results showed that those who combined GLP-1 medication with the digital behavioral weight management program saw a greater reduction in food noise than those who did not
GLP-1s linked to reduced violent behavior, impulsivity
A study recently published in Criminology
found that GLP-1 medications may help to reduce violent behaviors among adults
The researchers found that higher levels of alcohol use and impulsivity were associated with violent behavior overall. However, these behaviors were weaker among people who use GLP-1 medications
The study focused on data from 821 adults who were currently using a GLP-1 medication or had previously used one. The researchers found that the association between impulsivity and violent behavior was around 62% weaker among people currently using a GLP-1 medication compared with former users
“We can’t say with certainty why these associations emerged in this paper,” Lead study author Daniel Semenza, PhD, director of research at the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and an associate professor at Rutgers University, previously told Healthline
“However, growing research suggests that GLP-1 medications may influence things like reward processing and impulse control. One interpretation is that GLP-1 medications may weaken the extent to which established risk factors like impulsivity translate into harmful behavior. However, this is a hypothesis that requires further investigation.”
GLP-1s more effective when you set goals
Research presented at ENDO 2026 examined the weight-loss outcomes among people using tirzepatide (Zepbound and Mounjaro). These results have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal
The study included people who set personal weight loss goals and those without pre-existing conditions, such as type 2 diabetes
It found that females lost more weight than males, and that those who set personal weight-loss goals experienced greater weight loss
“These findings align with my own clinical experience. I have found that patients who set realistic goals and actively work toward them through dietary and lifestyle changes are more likely to see significant benefits from weight loss medications,” Mir Ali, MD, medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, who wasn’t involved in the study, previously told Healthline.
The researchers analyzed data from 80,942 individuals with an average age of 43 who had just begun treatment with a GLP-1 drug containing the active ingredient tirzepatide. Of these participants, 21,490 reached the 6-month follow-up, and 4,429 remained involved at the 12-month follow-up
The study found that females were significantly more likely than males to achieve a 20% total body weight loss by the 12-month follow-up. It also found that individuals who set a baseline weight loss goal and had previously attempted diet plans achieved a higher percentage of weight loss. These findings suggest that setting a weight loss goal while using a GLP-1 medication may lead to even greater weight loss.
