Hormonal
Weekly subcutaneous semaglutide (up to 2.4 mg) reduces BMI, HbA1c, and blood pressure, and improves self-rated quality of life in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and obesity.
For patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and obesity, weekly semaglutide injections (up to 2.4 mg) can effectively reduce weight, improve blood sugar control, and lower blood pressure, while also improving quality of life. This treatment is feasible in inpatient settings, even for those with severe mental illness, though side effects like nausea may lead some to discontinue. It should be considered as part of a comprehensive care plan including dietary advice.
In this feasibility study, weekly semaglutide treatment was associated with improvement in self-rated overall QOL and reductions in BMI, HbA1c and blood pressure at up to 6 months follow-up.
Why this rating
The study is a small, short-term feasibility study (n=15, up to 6 months) without a control group, limiting generalizability and causal inference.
Source
Obesity and Schizophrenia: Results of a Feasibility Study with Semaglutide to Assist Weight Loss
Adrian Heald et al. · Advances in Therapy · 2025
DOI 10.1007/s12325-025-03261-0
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →