A new study from South Korea has reported an association between the use of prescription weight-loss medications and a higher likelihood of depression and suicidal thoughts among adults.
Researchers analysed mental health data from approximately 27,000 adults, including 846 people who reported using prescription medication for weight loss.
According to the study, adults who used weight-loss medications were 93% more likely to report depression and 168% more likely to report suicidal thoughts compared with people who did not report using the medicines.
The researchers also examined people who had used GLP-1 medications over a period of nearly a decade. Their analysis indicated that reported mental health risks were higher among people who regained weight after being prescribed the medication.
However, the findings show an association rather than proving that weight-loss medications directly cause depression or suicidal thoughts.
Study Examines Mental Health Data
The research was conducted by a team led by Dr Kyung-Young Son, who examined data involving thousands of adults to investigate potential links between weight-loss medication use and mental health outcomes.
Among the approximately 27,000 adults included in the analysis, 846 reported using prescription weight-loss medication.
The researchers compared reported mental health outcomes between medication users and people who did not use the medicines.
Their findings indicated higher reported rates of depression and suicidal thoughts among those using weight-loss medications.
The study adds to continuing research into the safety and potential effects of medications prescribed for obesity and weight management.
Depression Risk Reported Higher Among Users
According to the researchers, people who reported using weight-loss medications had a substantially higher likelihood of reporting depression than non-users.
The study calculated that medication users were 93% more likely to report depression.
The researchers also identified an association with suicidal thoughts, reporting that users were 168% more likely to report such thoughts than adults who did not use the medications.
These figures describe differences observed in the study population. They do not, by themselves, demonstrate that the medication was responsible for the reported mental health symptoms.
Other factors associated with obesity, weight changes, underlying health conditions and individual circumstances could potentially influence mental health outcomes.
Weight Regain May Be Important Factor
The researchers also looked at people who had used GLP-1 medications over a period of almost 10 years.
Their analysis suggested that reported mental health risks were higher among people who experienced weight regain after receiving treatment.
Weight regain can occur after weight-loss treatment, and the researchers highlighted it as a factor associated with the mental health outcomes observed in their analysis.
The finding does not establish that regaining weight caused depression or suicidal thoughts either.
Instead, the researchers identified weight regain as a factor that appeared to be associated with higher reported mental health risks among the people studied.
Researchers Highlight Association
Dr Kyung-Young Son and colleagues concluded that the use of weight-loss medications was associated with an increased risk of depression and suicidal tendencies in their analysis.
They also noted that the apparent risk was higher among people who regained weight following treatment.
Because the study is observational in nature, its findings cannot establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
This distinction is important when interpreting the reported percentages. A higher rate of a mental health condition among medication users does not necessarily mean that the medication itself caused the condition.
Further research would be needed to determine how different factors, including medication use, weight changes and underlying health characteristics, may contribute to the observed association.
Earlier Safety Concerns
The findings come amid previous concerns and safety reviews surrounding a possible connection between weight-loss medications and suicidal thoughts.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has previously received hundreds of reports from patients who said they experienced suicidal thoughts or severe feelings of hopelessness while taking weight-loss medications.
Some reported patients said they had no previous history of mental health problems before developing such symptoms after beginning treatment.
Reports of this nature have contributed to continued monitoring and investigation of the potential mental health effects of medicines used for weight management.
Safety reports, however, can identify potential signals but do not necessarily establish that a medicine caused a particular symptom.
Ongoing Research Into Weight-Loss Medicines
Weight-loss medications, including newer treatments targeting pathways involved in appetite and blood-sugar regulation, have become an increasingly important part of obesity treatment.
Their use has also prompted researchers to examine potential effects beyond weight reduction.
The South Korean study contributes to that broader body of research by examining reported mental health outcomes among adults who used prescription weight-loss medications.
At the same time, the study’s findings should be interpreted within the limits of the available data. The reported associations do not establish that weight-loss medicines directly cause depression or suicidal thoughts.
Researchers and health authorities continue to examine safety information as these medicines are increasingly used for weight management.
Mental Health Symptoms Should Be Taken Seriously
People experiencing depression, severe hopelessness or suicidal thoughts should seek medical help promptly, regardless of whether they are taking weight-loss medication.
Anyone using prescription medication who develops concerning mental health symptoms should discuss those symptoms with a healthcare professional rather than stopping treatment without medical guidance.
The latest study highlights the importance of continuing to monitor both the physical and mental health outcomes associated with weight-loss treatments.
Its findings provide another area for researchers to investigate, particularly the possible relationship between medication use, weight regain and reported mental health problems.
Also read: How to Lose Weight This Ramadan? Steer Clear of These Common Mistakes
