The surprising mental health and brain benefits of weight-loss drugs

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Mental Health News

Diabetes,Addiction,Obesity

Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have unexpected effects on the brain, opening up potential new ways to treat depression, anxiety, addiction and Alzheimer’s

Kathy Schwartz was 10 years free from alcohol, cigarettes and opiates but every day it was painful to control her cravings. “They were always in the background,” she says. In June last year, however, this noise fell silent.

Prescribed the weight-loss drug semaglutide, she not only lost nearly 30 kilograms over 10 months, but also her desire to reach for a drink or take some pills. “I do not crave, which I didn’t think would be a side effect,” says Schwartz. Remarkably, theSchwartz isn’t alone in this experience.

It is early days, but there are hints that these drugs could be repurposed to treat depression, anxiety, addiction and even certain eating disorders – as well as neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. What’s more, it seems that these effects aren’t just mediated via weight loss, but through direct action on the brain. could stimulate insulin production when injected into rodents in the lab. More surprisingly, these animals started eating less and losing weight.

 

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What You Should Know Before Taking Popular Weight Loss Drugs Like Ozempic And WegovyDr. Omer Awan MD MPH CIIP is a practicing radiologist physician in Baltimore, MD that writes about healthcare and public health. He earned his Medical Doctor (MD) degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and his Master in Public Health (MPH) degree from Harvard University.
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