GLP-1s and Mental Health: Another Reason to Watch Closely

I am watching the emerging literature on GLP-1s (Ozempic and its cousins) with fascination.

This April 2026 study by Taipale, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, analysed nearly 100,000 adults in Sweden with depression or anxiety who were taking antidiabetic medications. Semaglutide, and to a lesser extent liraglutide, was associated with a lower risk of worsening mental illness, including depression, anxiety, self-harm, and substance use disorder, compared with periods of non-use.

Recent data suggest these drugs may substantially reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Now, this study also suggests a lower chance of existing depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders getting worse. Whether GLP-1s directly lead to these mental health benefits or are simply associated with them is not yet clear. Pass the lightly buttered popcorn, I’m watching.

Learn More: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(26)00014-3/fulltext