Wegovy and Ozempic may offer health benefits for people with schizophrenia

People with schizophrenia have a shorter life expectancy than the general population, due to a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This is partly because the medication used to treat schizophrenia increases appetite and leads to significant weight gain, but also because of lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity, smoking and poor diet.

In a new study from the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital, researchers examined the effects of giving semaglutide – also known by the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy – to patients with schizophrenia.

– The idea that we may be able to prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in a group of very vulnerable patients, while also improving their day-to-day lives, is a strong driving force, explains Ashok Ganeshalingam, PhD student at the Department of Clinical Research, SDU and Odense University Hospital.

The study showed that 30 weeks of treatment with semaglutide led to normalised blood sugar levels in 81% of those who received the treatment. In addition, semaglutide reduced weight by an average of nine kilograms and improved physical wellbeing compared to the placebo group.

Treatment without negative effects on psychiatric symptoms

The study also found that semaglutide treatment did not interfere with the treatment of schizophrenia.

– People with schizophrenia need treatment that addresses both the disabling psychotic symptoms and the physical health problems. Our results show that semaglutide is a safe and effective option for countering the physical side effects of psychosis treatment – without worsening the symptoms of schizophrenia, says Nicolai Uhrenholt, PhD student at the Department of Clinical Research, SDU.

Weight gain is a well-known side effect when patients start antipsychotic treatment for schizophrenia.

Niels Bilenberg, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Southern Denmark, highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration:

– People with schizophrenia who begin antipsychotic treatment often experience clear improvements in their psychiatric symptoms. Many start treatment at a young age and very frequently experience rapid weight gain as a side effect. This can lead them to stop taking their antipsychotic medication, which puts them at risk of becoming ill with schizophrenia again.

The researchers believe that semaglutide could eventually be used to prevent the development of overweight, obesity and type 2 diabetes in people with schizophrenia. In the long term, this may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and help extend the lifespan of this patient group. Further research is needed before this may become a treatment option.

– This study is unique because it's the largest trial to date investigating the effects of semaglutide in patients with schizophrenia. The results show that people with schizophrenia tolerate the treatment well. And the findings also suggest that the treatment has potential clinical relevance and could ultimately help reduce the excess mortality we see in this patient group, explains Jan Frystyk, Professor of Endocrinology.