Ozempic personality changes. Ozempic personality, a side effect associated with the diabetes medication that also helps with weight loss, has become popular in the social media parlance. It is coined in a similar way as Ozempic butt and Ozempic face, except it’s not related to the changes in physical appearance but in mental health. There is not enough evidence to prove that Ozempic can lead to anxiety, depression, or suicidal ideation, but many on social media claim that the drug has worsened their mental health.

Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy that have semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist aids in managing blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It also delays gastric emptying which could lead to food staying in the body for a longer time, thus helping curb the appetite. This can lead to weight loss of 15 to 20 percent, which could change your appearance. But how does it change your personality as indicated by the term ‘Ozempic personality’?

While experts are not fond of the term ‘Ozempic personality’, they agree that taking the drug may have some effect on the reward centre of the brain dopamine. However, there is no sufficient evidence of the effect.

When people eat their favourite food, feel-good chemicals release, and send pleasure signals to the brain, which makes a person feel a high temporarily. When somebody is on a drug like Ozempic, these reward centres may become less active, making one feel low.

What is ‘Ozempic personality,’ and is it real?

Ozempic personality changes. While there is no single definition for the term, it encompasses a cluster of symptoms or feelings. The most commonly reported symptoms of “Ozempic personality” are:

• Worse mood
• Increased feelings of anxiety and depression
• Feelings of anhedonia, or lacking an interest in previously enjoyed activities
• Decreased libido (less interest in sex)

These negative feelings are generally attributed to changes in the dopamine or “reward center” of the brain. But it’s not entirely clear how GLP-1 drugs are interacting with dopamine in the brain.

Derek Daniels, PhD, a Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Buffalo, has studied the effects of GLP-1 medications on thirst and drinking behavior in animal models.

“As we’re getting these signals from the process of eating or drinking, it’s all feeding back to the dopamine systems, making them less responsive to more eating or drinking,” he told Healthline.

“Whether the GLP-1 is making an animal feel full faster and then those signals are what’s turning down dopamine or if GLP-1 is acting directly on the dopamine receptors, so that they’re less responsive, I don’t know the answer to that,” said Daniels.

But there could be a simpler answer, too: eating less, losing weight, and giving up foods you love is hard.

“You’re soothing yourself with all these bad foods and developing obesity, and so now you don’t feel like rewarding yourself with sugary food, and you’re in a bad mood. It’s not the Ozempic that did that. It was the addiction in the first place. 

Exploring ‘Ozempic Personality’: Insights from Dr. Sameea Chughtai in Chicago and Winnetka

In recent discussions surrounding GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, terms like “Ozempic face” and “Ozempic butt” have surfaced, describing the noticeable physical changes some users experience. These phrases, which have become part of the lexicon due to the drug’s profound effects on weight loss, highlight the significant transformations that can occur. Now, a new term is entering the conversation: “Ozempic personality.”

What is ‘Ozempic Personality’?

“Ozempic personality” refers to a cluster of reported mental health changes, including increased anxiety, depression, and anhedonia (a diminished ability to feel pleasure), purportedly linked to the use of Ozempic and similar GLP-1 medications. This term has captured attention across social media and various news outlets, painting a picture of potential emotional and psychological side effects associated with these drugs.

Expert Opinions

However, the concept of “Ozempic personality” remains controversial. Health experts and major studies have not found concrete evidence linking GLP-1 medications to these severe mood alterations. Dr. Sameea Chughtai, a distinguished medical professional operating in both Chicago and Winnetka, emphasizes the importance of distinguishing anecdotal experiences from scientifically validated data. According to Dr. Chughtai, while any medication can have side effects, the broad consensus among medical professionals is that GLP-1 medications like Ozempic are both safe and effective when used under proper medical supervision.

Understanding GLP-1 Medications

GLP-1 medications, including Ozempic, function by mimicking a hormone that slows digestion and increases satiety, which can lead to significant weight loss. This mechanism can profoundly change a person’s lifestyle and relationship with food, which may inadvertently affect their social habits and emotional well-being.

Clinical Perspective from Dr. Chughtai

From her clinics in Chicago and the North Shore, Dr. Chughtai observes that modifications in diet and lifestyle due to these medications can indeed influence one’s social interactions and self-perception, potentially leading to feelings of social isolation or changes in mood. However, she stresses that these are not direct side effects of the drug itself but rather consequences of the lifestyle adjustments that accompany significant weight loss and health transformations.

Addressing Mental Health Concerns

Dr. Chughtai advocates for a holistic approach to treatment with GLP-1 medications. She recommends regular follow-ups to monitor not just the physical but also the emotional impacts of these drugs. For patients experiencing negative mood changes while on these medications, Dr. Chughtai suggests comprehensive evaluations to rule out other causes and to adjust treatment plans as necessary, ensuring both physical and mental health are maintained.

Conclusion

While “Ozempic personality” remains a topic of debate and anecdote rather than a clinically recognized condition, the discussions it has sparked are valuable. They highlight the need for awareness and understanding of how transformative treatments like Ozempic can affect all aspects of health, including mental well-being. Dr. Sameea Chughtai continues to provide expert care and guidance at her practices in Chicago and Winnetka, helping patients navigate the complexities of treatment with GLP-1 medications safely and effectively.

The link between weight loss drugs and addictive behaviors

By directly or indirectly affecting the dopamine system, GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy might play a larger role in diminishing cravings of all kinds.

“It doesn’t surprise me that there are overall changes in people that are on these drugs. I think some of them are probably subtle, but in animal models, these drugs turn down almost any motivated behavior that we can imagine,” said Daniels.

Researchers have looked at the role these medications can play in other addictive disorders, including drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

A review of the medical literature published in 2022 found that GLP-1 drugs resulted in “potent reductions” in alcohol and substance use.

The report also states, “individuals suffering from obesity and individuals suffering from addiction have overlapping brain dysregulations, and the anti‐obesity effects of GLP‐1 receptor agonists support the potential usefulness of GLP‐1 receptor agonists for the treatment of substance use disorder and alcohol use disorder.”

Another study from that same year found that GLP-1 drugs could also “represent an important step in the development of novel drug therapies for cocaine use disorder.

Nearly three months into taking Ozempic for diabetes, Jenny Kent had already lost 12 pounds, and her blood sugar numbers were looking better than they had in a while.

Ozempic, the injectable drug approved for Type 2 diabetes, has taken the world by storm.

Despite not being approved by the Food and Drug Administration for weight loss, Ozempic has prompted people on TikTok and Instagram to speculate about which stars have used it to shed pounds seemingly overnight.

The drug has become so popular that it’s been in short supply for much of the past year.

But for Kent something else changed after she started taking Ozempic.

“I was just constantly in a state of being overwhelmed,” says Kent. “So my response to that was just I was just crying all the time. Sobbing, crying … I still didn’t put it together, so I kept … taking my injections.”

She’s one of many people taking Ozempic and related drugs who describe mental health problems. But that side effect isn’t mentioned in Ozempic’s instructions for use, or drug label. Are the problems a coincidence or related to the drug?

European regulators investigate mental health reports

In July, the European Medicines Agency said that it was looking into the risk of thoughts of self-harm and suicidal thoughts with the use of Ozempic and similar drugs. As of July 11, the regulator, Europe’s FDA, was evaluating more than 150 reports.

The FDA hasn’t taken that step. For now, the agency is monitoring the situation. “We continue to conclude that the benefits of these medications outweigh their risks when they are used according to the FDA approved labeling,” spokesperson Chanapa Tantibanchachai said in an email to NPR. She noted that weight-loss drug Wegovy, which contains the same active ingredient as Ozempic, semaglutide, includes a warning about suicidal thoughts on its label.

NPR analyzed the FDA’s adverse event reporting system, or FAERS, and learned that the agency has received 489 reports of patients experiencing anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts while taking semaglutide drugs, including Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus.

In 96 of those reports, the patient had suicidal thoughts. Five of them died. It isn’t known if Ozempic and the other drugs caused the mental health problems. The FDA database can flag questions but isn’t designed to answer them.

Previous clinical studies offer few answers

There’s another limitation to the preapproval studies: Who gets to be part of them. Dr. Amy Rothberg, an endocrinologist at the University of Michigan, says patients recruited for the Ozempic clinical trials were screened for depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. They would have been excluded from participating.

“You know, that’s not necessarily what goes on in clinical practice,” she says. “And so there are going to be people who have major depressive disorder, who may be getting treatment, but may have an enhanced susceptibility to having worsening anxiety or depression on these drugs that we just did not account for.”

After, reviewing the FAERS reports NPR found, Rothberg said almost every patient listed had an underlying major health condition that, based on the database alone, would make it hard to determine whether the drug caused the suicidal thoughts.

Even though the link between these drugs and mental health concerns isn’t definitive, it’s important that patients talk with doctors if they experience something unusual, says Dr. Jonathan Alpert, who chairs the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

“I always think it makes sense to take side effects like that seriously, particularly in drugs that are relatively new and that we’re still learning about,” says Alpert, who also chairs the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Research.

Novo Nordisk spokesperson Allison Scheider says the company takes all reports about new side effects “very seriously,” but added that this class of drugs has been used for more than 15 years.

Ozempic and Personality Changes – 5 FAQs