GLP-1 Medicines and Mental Health Changes

Key question: Is the use of GLP-1 weight loss medicines - semaglutide and tirzepatide - associated with improvements in mental health and health-related quality of life?

Key finding: Across six- months of GLP-1 treatment, participants reported statistically significant improvements in mental health, eating disorder symptoms, and health-related quality of life domains such as pain interference and sleep quality.

Message for readers: Although GLP-1 medicines are prescribed primarily for weight loss and metabolic health benefits, growing evidence suggests that these medicines may also facilitate meaningful improvements in mental health and quality of life.

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Key information

Conditions

Obesity Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Body Weight Depression GLP-1 Nutrition Disorders Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Overnutrition Overweight Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being Signs and Symptoms

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

VA San Diego Healthcare System

San Diego, California, 92161, United States

About this study

In a sample of veterans with obesity and established metabolic disease receiving supervised GLP-1 treatment for weight loss, we observed a consistent pattern of improved psychiatric health, eating disorder behaviors, and health-related quality of life. In addition to observing statistically significant changes across all the latter dimensions using validated psychometric measures, effect size magnitudes were also large enough to suggest potentially clinically meaningful improvements. Importantly, we observed robust evidence of decreases in depressive symptoms - averaging 30% declines in symptom severity - with no signs of increased suicidal ideation symptoms in the sample. The smaller size of this sample necessarily warrants additional research to validate these findings across the broader veteran population and among non-veteran samples.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Veterans receiving care at the VA San Diego Healthcare System

Exclusion criteria

VASDHS Veterans not receiving GLP-1 medicines for obesity through the weight control clinic

Treatment and study plan

GLP-1

Drug

Wegovy or Zepbound

Primary outcomes

Beck Depression Inventory-2

Time frame: Six months

Changes in BDI-2 scores

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of California, San Diego

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Changes in Psychiatric Symptoms, Eating Disorder Behaviors, and Health Behaviors Following Six Months of GLP-1 Treatment for Obesity

Important dates

Study start: 2024
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Jan 27, 2026
Registry last updated: Jan 27, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

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