October 25, 2024, 9:53 am | Read time: 5 minutes
In recent months, drugs that have been used for other purposes have attracted a lot of attention, such as weight loss injections. The best-known ones at the moment, such as Ozempic, contain the active ingredient semaglutide. However, the supposed miracle cure could have at least one dangerous downside: A recent study shows a possible link between the active ingredient and suicidal thoughts.
Many celebrities have made headlines in recent months for losing a lot of weight. These include musician Robbie Williams, style icon Kim Kardashian, and tech billionaire Elon Musk.1 They all had one thing in common: a so-called weight loss injection helped them shed the pounds in a short space of time. These are drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic. They are actually intended for the treatment of obesity or diabetes – and contain the active ingredient semaglutide. Although many overweight people achieve weight loss success with these drugs, the active ingredient can also lead to side effects. One study provides evidence that there could be a link between semaglutide and suicidal thoughts.
Overview
What makes semaglutide so effective?
Semaglutide offers many people the opportunity to lose excess weight finally. Because many overweight people have an odyssey of diets and years of suffering behind them, the active ingredient is approved for the treatment of overweight and obesity in Germany. Wegovy, for example, is prescribed for weight reduction from a BMI (body mass index) of 30 and above. The drugs Rybelsus and Ozempic, which also contain semaglutide, are even approved for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. 2
The special thing about semaglutide’s mechanism of action is that it generates a satiety signal in the brain. This enables patients to eat much less without having to fight the feeling of hunger. This is particularly important for people with impaired satiety regulation. However, there is a risk that an increased feeling of hunger will set in again after stopping the medication. Patients must, therefore, also learn to eat healthily and moderately without the medication. Otherwise, there is a risk that they will quickly put on weight again.
The possible side effects of semaglutide
Although the weight loss effect is impressive for many people, the active ingredient semaglutide is not free of side effects and is therefore controversial. A study from 2023 showed that active ingredients such as semaglutide, liraglutide, and tirzepatide could cause serious illnesses. These include biliary diseases, intestinal obstruction, pancreatitis, or pancreas inflammation. In addition, the active ingredient semaglutide probably increases the risk of developing a rare eye disease that can be associated with severe vision loss, as a study shows.
Can semaglutide even cause suicidal thoughts?
Another study has now been published that shows a particularly dangerous connection.3 People who take GLP-1 drugs based on semaglutide and antidepressants or benzodiazepines at the same time report suicidal thoughts more often than average.
For this study, American scientists examined the global database of the World Health Organization for adverse drug reactions that were suspected to be due to semaglutide or liraglutide (also an active ingredient for the treatment of obesity). Out of over 30 million reports of adverse drug reactions, 107 were identified that were linked to semaglutide and suicidal thoughts. No such evidence was found for liraglutide.
However, the patients affected were suffering from depression or were taking antidepressants. Therefore, it cannot be said unequivocally that semaglutide can lead to suicidal thoughts. However, the frequency with which this combination was found was considered a signal of disproportionality.
“The signal of disproportionality is only an indication and should not be interpreted as a measure of severity,” said the lead author of the study, Dr. Georgios Schoretsanitis, commenting on the study result on the medical portal Medical News Today. Thus, the study does not show a causal relationship, but it does provide an indication that should be investigated further, according to the scientists.
FDA and EMA find no link between semaglutide and suicidal thoughts
This is not the first instance of reporting on this potential link. For example, there have been three reports of patients in Iceland and 201 other similar incidents received by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), reports Medical News Today. These cases were investigated by both the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the FDA. In early January 2024, the FDA finally issued a statement in which it reported that no link had been found between semaglutide and suicidal thoughts.4 In April 2024, the EMA also announced this.
Experts criticize the use of individual side effect reports in the new study as unsuitable for establishing a link between weight loss injections and suicidal thoughts. These reports do not take place in a clinical setting where patients are extensively monitored, and side effects of other drugs can be ruled out.
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Why case reports and studies are still important
A causal relationship has not been established. Individual cases and individual studies cannot provide any evidence. However, they can provide indications that should make people sit up and take notice. They do, however, provide compelling reasons to avoid medications containing semaglutide unless medically necessary for conditions such as severe overweight, obesity, or diabetes.
The German Depression Aid advises those affected to speak openly about their condition and, if necessary, to assist them in contacting a doctor or psychotherapist. Sometimes, it may also be necessary to take them to an emergency psychiatric clinic. If you have suicidal thoughts yourself: The telephone helpline on 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222 is free of charge and is available around the clock. Please get help!