Weight-loss drug users who regain weight face higher risk of suicidal thoughts, study finds
Adults using prescription weight-loss medications in South Korea showed higher rates of depression, counseling, suicidal thoughts and attempts than non-users, especially when they regained weight.
Researchers at Asan Medical Center analyzed data from 27,741 South Korean adults and identified 846 individuals who had taken prescription weight-loss drugs in the prior year. Compared with the 26,895 non-users, the medication group was 1.9 times more likely to be depressed, twice as likely to pursue mental-health counseling, 2.7 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts and 1.7 times more likely to attempt suicide. The association was strongest among users who experienced weight regain, with a 4.2-fold increase in odds of suicidal ideation.
The authors suggested the pattern could stem from both neuropsychiatric drug effects and the distress of perceived treatment failure. The cross-sectional study, covering 2013-2022, focused on older anti-obesity agents such as phentermine and orlistat, not the newer GLP-1/GIP agonists. Experts emphasized that causality cannot be established and recommended baseline mental-health screening and regular monitoring for patients prescribed these drugs. FDA labels for newer agents already advise monitoring mood changes.
Why it matters
The findings signal possible mental-health dangers of weight-loss drugs, prompting clinicians to screen and monitor patients closely.
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