It’s proving to be way more than just a skinny jab.
With millions of people of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, it’s becoming increasingly clear that their benefits extend well beyond weight loss and treating type 2 diabetes.
Now, new research has found that it could be a game changer for people living with serious mental illness.
Nearly 7 million US adults have bipolar disorder, a condition marked by extreme shifts in mood and energy levels — namely, the “high” of mania and the low of extreme depression.
Both types of episodes can result in hospitalization. Depression may cause thoughts of or attempts at suicide, while severe mania can cause psychosis, dangerous impulsivity or an inability to care for oneself.
But a new study from Griffith University in Australia found that people with bipolar disorder who take a GLP-1 have lower rates of hospitalization, seemingly keeping more extreme symptoms in check.
The researchers looked at data from 15,000 people over a 15-year period and found that those taking semaglutide — sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy — had a 21% lower risk of being hospitalized for psychiatric reasons.
Professor Mark Taylor, who led the study, described these as “significantly lower rates.”
“The findings add to growing evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists may have benefits beyond diabetes and obesity treatment, and could represent a promising new avenue for bipolar research,” he said in a press release.
The researched suggests that GLP-1 signaling may protect the brain by reducing inflammation, cellular stress and other biological processes that are linked to bipolar disorder, potentially improving mood stability.
Drugs like Ozempic are well-known for quieting “food noise” in the brain and rewiring dopamine hits, which may also help keep the chemical stable over time in those with bipolar disorder.
However, only semaglutide was associated with reduced psychiatric hospitalization risk. Liraglutide (sold under the brand names Victoza and Saxenda) and dulaglutide (sold as Trulicity) did not have the same benefits.
Previous research has found GLP-1s to have positive outcomes on some other mental health conditions, noting the same effects of reduced inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain.
High levels of inflammatory proteins can disrupt brain chemicals and typical signals, damaging nerve connections and worsening mood shifts over time.
In 2025, a study of nearly 30,000 patients found that the use of GLP-1 medications could have “an antidepressant effect,” and not just because people might be happy to have lost weight.
The year prior, another study found that obese teens who were given semaglutide had a 33% reduction in suicidal ideation or attempts.
Those with ADHD, in particular, have also noticed improvements with weight loss drugs, albeit anecdotally.
“I have seen a number of patients that have reported feeling better in terms of their ADHD symptoms when they went on GLP-1s,” Dr. Lenard Adler, director of the Adult ADHD Program at NYU Langone Health, previously told The Post.
Many have experienced better focus and attention span, as well as fewer impulsive moments and less hyperactivity — two similar symptoms of bipolar disorder.
However, scientists still don’t know whether the drugs directly improve ADHD symptoms.
