Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist drugs have proved transformational for many people living with chronic conditions like obesity and type II diabetes. Now, a new study published in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica suggests the drugs may be linked to benefits for people with bipolar disorder.
Researchers at Griffith University analyzed Swedish national healthcare data over 15 years. People with bipolar disorder who were taking semaglutide, the active ingredient in GLP-1-targeting drugs like Wegovy or Ozempic, were less likely to require hospital care for their conditions.
The observational data cannot explain potential mechanisms, but the authors say their work should prompt further research into GLP-1 drugs’ benefits.
Read More: Hair Loss May Be a New Potential Side Effect of GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs
Ingredients in Medicine
GLP-1 drugs have become common adjuncts for weight-loss treatment across Western medical systems. In a 2026 Gallup Poll, 11 percent of Americans reported taking the drugs, which suppress appetite by mimicking the effects of GLP-1 hormone. This action helps regulate blood sugar levels, slow digestion, and suppress hunger.
Several GLP-1 receptor agonists are used in currently approved drugs, including semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy), tirzepatide (Mounjaro), and others like liraglutide and dulaglutide.
Bipolar disorder is a mental health disorder that involves unpredictable shifts in mood and activity that can send patients into periods of depression or mania. In severe cases, these shifts can produce dangerous behavior that requires hospitalization. Roughly 2.6 percent of the U.S. population lives with bipolar disorder.
Explore All OptionsThe gold-standard drug for treatment of the condition is lithium. However, the drug doesn’t work for every patient, and only around a third of patients receive relief in both manic and depressive symptoms after taking the drug, according to The Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
GLP-1s and Bipolar Disorder
In the new study, the research team found that bipolar patients taking semaglutide, but not liraglutide or dulaglutide, had lower risks of admission to hospital compared to those not on the drugs. Semaglutide was associated with a 21 percent lower risk.
Dr. Mark Taylor, a psychiatrist at Griffith University and co-author of the new study, told Discover that there were also no signs that semaglutide increased suicidality. This is an important finding given that previous research on the drug had suggested an association with suicidal ideation, according to a study in Molecular Psychiatry.
Taylor said that a separate Lancet Psychiatry study his team had published showed that semaglutide, and to a lesser extent liraglutide, may be associated with lower rates of anxiety and depression.
“We think this is due to a combination of better self-esteem via weight loss and better sugar control, but also direct brain effects such as reduced inflammation and stress hormone cascades,” said Taylor.
The findings from the association study would need to be confirmed in a randomized controlled trial before they can be brought into clinical practice. But Taylor said that this is especially exciting given limited progress in new drugs for depression and bipolar disorder, which he said had “stagnated” in recent years.
This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
Read More: GLP-1 Drugs May Cut Risk of Heart Attack, Stroke, and Death by About 13 Percent
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
- This article references information from a study published in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica: Use of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and the Associated Risk of Hospitalisation in Bipolar Disorder, From a Nationwide Cohort, 2009–2024
- This article references information from a 2026 Gallup Poll: In U.S., GLP-1 Usage Reaches New High
- This article references information from The Salk Institute for Biological Studies: New method predicts who will respond to lithium therapy
- This article references information from a study published in Lancet Psychiatry: Association between GLP-1 receptor agonist use and worsening mental illness in people with depression and anxiety in Sweden: a national cohort study
- This article references information from a study published in Molecular Psychiatry: GLP-1 receptor agonists and risk of suicide or suicide attempts – A nationwide cohort and self-controlled case series study
