Uncover the Surprising Links Between GLP-1s and Depression Relief

While GLP-1 injections are all the rave now for weight loss (and for good reason), other substantial benefits are emerging. This post will focus on the reduction in depression symptoms in particular. 

GLP-1s are not new. They’ve been around for 20 years or so. But only in the last few years have they really skyrocketed in popularity. And all the new users have led to discoveries not thought of during their development.

According to Pharmacy Times, May 23, 2024 some of the unexpected benefits of GLP-1s beyond weight loss and blood sugar control are…

“A reduction in cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, osteoarthritis, and chemical dependency.

To read the full Pharmacy Times article click here https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/five-unexpected-new-uses-for-glp-1-receptor-agonists

But back to focusing on the alleviation of depression symptoms, several studies show GLP-1 reduces neuroinflammation, improves neurotransmitter balance, improves neurogenesis, and improves the synaptic plasticity and function. 

The link between inflammation and depression has been known and studied for years. The neurotransmitter imbalance theory is the whole reason behind SSRIs, SNRIs, and NDRI antidepressant medications. Improving neurogenesis is one of the reasons ketamine is so effective in the treatment of depression. And the synaptic plasticity, and synaptic function in particular, is one of the main reasons for thyroid augmentation in treating depression.

Gut dysbiosis is identified on the chart as a cause of depression but not listed in the cited study as a cause that was studied. But I can tell you from experience that it is a major contributing factor in depression. And GLP-1 helps remodel the gut microbiome through a variety of factors which usually lead to a reduction in depression. So as you can surmise, GLP-1 seems to be acting in many different ways to help with depression symptoms.

Kim, Young-Kook et al. “Alleviation of Depression by Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Through the Regulation of Neuroinflammation, Neurotransmitters, Neurogenesis, and Synaptic Function.” Frontiers in pharmacology vol. 11 1270. 14 Aug. 2020, doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.01270 say…

“Here, we review the therapeutic effects of GLP-1 on depression from a variety of perspectives and highlight the promising, beneficial roles of GLP-1 as the therapeutic regulator of impaired neurogenesis, neuroinflammation, imbalance of neurotransmitter secretion, and synaptic dysfunction in the depressive brain.”

To read the full article in the National Library of Medicine click here

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7456867/#:~:text=These%20studies%20indicate%20that%20GLP,alleviating%20the%20effects%20of%20depression.

In conclusion, it appears that GLP-1s do much more than promote weight loss. Benefits across the mental health spectrum have been identified. If this is something you would like to explore more, and you live in Arizona (that’s where I’m licensed), then please click here to schedule a free consultation call to discuss your situation and see if we can work together. I specialize in women’s mental health.

https://optimummentalhealth.practicebetter.io/#/65d922c0331b7118d3815e60/bookings?s=65d9265a360dcffda5cb67d3

Keywords: GLP-1, Depression, Gut dysbiosis, Microbiome, Women’s mental health, Arizona,


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