Hormonal
Semaglutide (1.0 mg once weekly) significantly improves physical quality of life (SF-36v2 PCS) in patients with schizophrenia and obesity, with the effect exceeding the minimally important difference, although this improvement is not statistically mediated by weight loss.
If you have schizophrenia and are overweight, semaglutide (1.0 mg weekly) can significantly improve your physical quality of life, such as mobility and physical functioning. This benefit is clinically meaningful and exceeds the threshold for what patients consider important. However, do not expect this medication to directly reduce psychiatric symptoms like hallucinations or negative symptoms, nor does it necessarily improve mental well-being (MCS). The improvement in physical QoL is not solely due to weight loss, suggesting the drug has other beneficial effects. Adherence to the weekly injection is key to achieving these physical health benefits.
Semaglutide improved PCS at weeks 15 and 30, with effect sizes exceeding the minimally important difference. Indirect effects via weight loss were positive but not statistically significant... No total or mediated effects were found for MCS. For PANSS-6, no meaningful mediation was observed.
Why this rating
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a moderate sample size (n=154) and rigorous statistical methods (causal mediation analysis).
Source
Improved quality of life with semaglutide in schizophrenia: Secondary analyses from a randomized controlled trial
N. Uhrenholt et al. · Schizophrenia Research · 2026
DOI 10.1016/j.schres.2026.02.009
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