Hormonal
GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) significantly reduce body weight, BMI, and waist circumference in patients with psychiatric disorders and obesity, with efficacy comparable to or slightly lower than that observed in non-psychiatric populations.
If you have a psychiatric condition and are overweight, GLP-1 medications (like semaglutide or liraglutide) are a proven, effective option for losing weight, even if you take other psychiatric meds. You will likely lose about 5 kg (11 lbs) on average, which is less than in people without mental health conditions, but still significant. Side effects like nausea are common but usually mild and don't cause most people to stop treatment. Discuss this with your doctor as a priority for metabolic health.
Pooling of the data from the 9 RCTs showed that the use of GLP-1RAs compared to control induced weight reduction of 5.03 kg (95% CI: −6.04, −4.01, I² = 0%)... The weight loss observed in our systematic review was less pronounced than that reported in populations with obesity but without psychiatric comorbidities.
Why this rating
Meta-analysis of 10 RCTs with low risk of bias, though limited by heterogeneity of psychiatric conditions.
Source
GLP-1R Agonists for Weight Loss in Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Klara Müller Alves et al. · Journal of the Endocrine Society · 2025
DOI 10.1210/jendso/bvaf150
Related findings · Hormonal
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