Weight-loss jab could help users with more than just belly reduction | Photo: Caroline Ruda/Shutterstock
Those weight-loss jabs—Ozempic, Wegovy, you know, are making headlines again. They’re not just for shedding pounds or managing diabetes anymore. A new study from Switzerland’s University of Bern says these shots could boost mental health, maybe even outshining insulin and other diabetes meds.
The findings, shared at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, have doctors and patients buzzing. Could these injections be a double win for body and mind?
The research, led by Dr. Sigrid Breit, looked at drugs like semaglutide, the star ingredient in these Ozempic jabs. They work by slowing digestion, curbing hunger, and melting away 10-20 per cent of body weight for some. But here’s the kicker: they also seem to perk up your mood. Over 25,000 adults across multiple studies reported better emotional well-being, especially those without mental health issues.
Even folks with severe conditions—think schizophrenia or bipolar disorder—saw mood lifts and better quality of life.
“Patients face a tough trade-off,” Breit said. Antipsychotics often pile on pounds, tanking self-esteem, but these jabs didn’t worsen mental health or spark new issues. One trial with 732 diabetes patients found more positive vibes and less distress.
So, what’s going on?
Breit thinks the drugs’ anti-inflammatory powers might calm brain inflammation tied to depression or anxiety. Losing weight could also make you feel better about yourself.
“GLP-1 RAs [receptor agonists] may have antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects, potentially due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties, which can also help reduce neuroinflammation,” Breit said. “These results are particularly important for people with severe mental disorders, who are three times more likely to be living with obesity than the general population.”
One social media post nailed it: “Feel good in your skin, and your mind follows.” There’s even talk these jabs could guard against Alzheimer’s, thanks to those same anti-inflammatory tricks. It’s not just physical—some suspect they tweak brain chemistry, almost like antidepressants.
Mental health pros are intrigued. Dr. Ed Beveridge, a top psychiatrist, called the data “exciting” and pushed for prioritising these jabs for people with mental illnesses, as long as doctors keep a close eye.
“We know that, for a variety of reasons, many people with mental illness will have weight management issues. Therefore, where clinically assessed as suitable, it is crucial that they are regarded as a priority group for access to semaglutide medication, with appropriate monitoring arrangements in place following prescribing,” Beveridge said.
Some experts are sceptical
This matters big time: 13-15 per cent of working-age Brits deal with long-term mental health issues, and 2 million are in NHS care.
Obesity hits these folks harder, often at triple the rate, thanks to weight-gaining meds. But not everyone’s jumping for joy.
Some experts warn these jabs are a quick fix at best. “We need treatments that tackle the root of mental illness,” one told a major UK paper, calling for more research over hype.
There’s a catch—these drugs aren’t perfect. Nausea, low blood pressure, and kidney stones can hit users hard.
Obesity costs the UK nearly 120 billion euros yearly
A 2024 study even tied semaglutide to a rare eye condition that risks blindness.
Then there’s access. Only 1 in 10 eligible Brits get these jabs through the NHS, leaving many forking out £120 (142 euros) to £250 (296 euros) monthly at private clinics. Online pharmacies are under fire for dodgy ads, with regulators cracking down. It’s a messy system.
The bigger picture? Obesity costs the UK £100 billion (119 billion euros) a year—healthcare, lost work, you name it. A quarter of adults are obese, and these jabs could save £4.5 billion by getting people healthier and back to work.
But plans to jab unemployed folks to boost the economy have sparked outrage. Critics call it “straight out of a sci-fi nightmare,” arguing health shouldn’t be tied to job status.
The Bern study’s a start, not a finish line. “We need bigger trials to lock this in,” Breit said, especially before prescribing jabs for mental health alone. Social media’s split—some call it a no-brainer, others want hard proof.
For now, these jabs might do more than slim you down, but they’re no magic wand. If you’re curious, chat with your doctor, watch for side effects, and keep expectations real.
And Rachel Hastings-Caplan, the clinical research policy manager at Rethink Mental Illness, warned, “Weight loss injections should only be used on prescription and in conjunction with medical advice, and particular consideration must be given around people at risk of eating disorders.”
