Assessing the shadows: A meta-analysis of GLP-1 agonists and suicidal ideation.

Alansari AO, Alharbi AS, Alshehri KM, Alhabib AT, Alsalmi BS, Almosfer WA, AlAjlan FA, Alharbi AA, Alzahrani BS, Alamer B, Alatawi AM

Medicine1 Dec 2025Cited by 5 (Europe PMC)

PMID41366934PMCIDPMC12688971DOI10.1097/md.0000000000046173PepBankPUB-41366934

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Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: CC BY-NC. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study7

3 results from studies that gave the peptide. 3 results from people.

01HumanSystematic reviewSafety outcome
In a subgroup analysis, suicide was higher among patients on liraglutide than among patients on semaglutide.
In plain wordsIn a subgroup analysis, suicide was more common in people on liraglutide than in people on semaglutide.
Peptide
Liraglutide
Outcome
IncreaseSuicide, liraglutide versus semaglutide
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Semaglutide
Outcome group
Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Measurements
odds ratio
1.48 OR
liraglutide vs semaglutide
Source sentences
Summary
In a subgroup analysis, suicide was higher among patients on liraglutide compared to their counterparts on semaglutide (OR, 1.48; 95% CI: 1.17-1.89).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We identified 354 studies and 126 stands after the removal of duplicates, of which 23 were eligible, and only 12 studies were included in the final meta-analysis.
Report a problemFND-4136693405
02HumanSystematic reviewSafety outcome
In a subgroup analysis, suicide was lower among patients on semaglutide than among patients on liraglutide.
In plain wordsIn a subgroup analysis, suicide was less common in people on semaglutide than in people on liraglutide.
Peptide
Semaglutide
Outcome
DecreaseSuicide, semaglutide versus liraglutide
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Liraglutide
Outcome group
Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Measurements
odds ratio
1.48 OR
liraglutide vs semaglutide
Source sentences
Summary
In a subgroup analysis, suicide was higher among patients on liraglutide compared to their counterparts on semaglutide (OR, 1.48; 95% CI: 1.17-1.89).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We identified 354 studies and 126 stands after the removal of duplicates, of which 23 were eligible, and only 12 studies were included in the final meta-analysis.
Report a problemFND-4136693406
03HumanSystematic reviewSafety outcome
In a subgroup analysis, there was no significant difference in suicide between semaglutide and tirzepatide (monjaro).
In plain wordsIn a subgroup analysis, suicide rates were not clearly different between semaglutide and tirzepatide.
Peptide
Semaglutide
Outcome
No significant changeSuicide, semaglutide versus tirzepatide
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Tirzepatide (monjaro)
Outcome group
Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Measurements
odds ratio
0.98 OR
monjaro vs semaglutide
Source sentences
Summary
No significant statistical difference was observed when comparing monjaro and semaglutide (OR, 0.98; 95% CI: 0.94-1.03).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We identified 354 studies and 126 stands after the removal of duplicates, of which 23 were eligible, and only 12 studies were included in the final meta-analysis.
Report a problemFND-4136693407

Studies that did not test the peptide alone4

In this study, the peptide was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking the peptide.

04HumanNot a test of Liraglutide aloneSystematic reviewSafety outcome
In patients with diabetes or obesity, pooled GLP-1 agonists (including liraglutide) showed no significant difference in suicidal ideation versus other obesity and diabetes drugs.
In plain wordsIn people with diabetes or obesity, GLP-1 drugs as a group showed no difference in suicidal thoughts compared with other drugs.
Peptide
Liraglutide
Outcome
No significant changeSuicidal ideation
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Other obesity and diabetes drugs
Outcome group
Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
Measurements
odds ratio
1 OR
suicidal ideation
Source sentences
Summary
No significant statistical difference was found in suicidal ideations in patients on GLP-1 agonists compared to their counterparts on other obesity and diabetes drugs (odds ratio [OR], 1.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0-1.0).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We identified 354 studies and 126 stands after the removal of duplicates, of which 23 were eligible, and only 12 studies were included in the final meta-analysis.
In this study, Liraglutide was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Liraglutide.
Report a problemFND-4136693401
05HumanNot a test of Semaglutide aloneSystematic reviewSafety outcome
In patients with diabetes or obesity, pooled GLP-1 agonists (including semaglutide) showed no significant difference in suicidal ideation versus other obesity and diabetes drugs.
In plain wordsIn people with diabetes or obesity, GLP-1 drugs as a group showed no difference in suicidal thoughts compared with other drugs.
Peptide
Semaglutide
Outcome
No significant changeSuicidal ideation
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Other obesity and diabetes drugs
Outcome group
Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
Measurements
odds ratio
1 OR
suicidal ideation
Source sentences
Summary
No significant statistical difference was found in suicidal ideations in patients on GLP-1 agonists compared to their counterparts on other obesity and diabetes drugs (odds ratio [OR], 1.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0-1.0).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We identified 354 studies and 126 stands after the removal of duplicates, of which 23 were eligible, and only 12 studies were included in the final meta-analysis.
In this study, Semaglutide was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Semaglutide.
Report a problemFND-4136693402
06HumanNot a test of Liraglutide aloneSystematic reviewSafety outcome
In patients with diabetes or obesity, pooled GLP-1 agonists (including liraglutide) showed no significant difference in completed suicide versus comparators.
In plain wordsIn people with diabetes or obesity, GLP-1 drugs as a group showed no clear difference in suicide compared with other drugs.
Peptide
Liraglutide
Outcome
No significant changeCompleted suicide
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Other obesity and diabetes drugs
Outcome group
Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
Measurements
odds ratio
1.77 OR
complete suicide
Source sentences
Summary
No significant difference was observed between patients on GLP-1 agonists and their counterparts regarding complete suicide (OR, 1.77; 95% CI: 0.80-3.91).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We identified 354 studies and 126 stands after the removal of duplicates, of which 23 were eligible, and only 12 studies were included in the final meta-analysis.
In this study, Liraglutide was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Liraglutide.
Report a problemFND-4136693403
07HumanNot a test of Semaglutide aloneSystematic reviewSafety outcome
In patients with diabetes or obesity, pooled GLP-1 agonists (including semaglutide) showed no significant difference in completed suicide versus comparators.
In plain wordsIn people with diabetes or obesity, GLP-1 drugs as a group showed no clear difference in suicide compared with other drugs.
Peptide
Semaglutide
Outcome
No significant changeCompleted suicide
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Other obesity and diabetes drugs
Outcome group
Psychiatric symptoms · Mental health and mood
Measurements
odds ratio
1.77 OR
complete suicide
Source sentences
Summary
No significant difference was observed between patients on GLP-1 agonists and their counterparts regarding complete suicide (OR, 1.77; 95% CI: 0.80-3.91).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
We identified 354 studies and 126 stands after the removal of duplicates, of which 23 were eligible, and only 12 studies were included in the final meta-analysis.
In this study, Semaglutide was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Semaglutide.
Report a problemFND-4136693404

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 5Current
27 Oct 2026, 16:36 UTC
Study data updated · source update from Europe PMC
Version 4
12 Oct 2026, 11:11 UTC
Study results updated
Versions 2 to 3
9 Oct 2026, 03:07 UTC
The same notice was added 2 times, first on 9 Oct 2026, 03:06 UTC. The status did not change between them.
Study data updated · source update from Europe PMC
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 03:04 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

Assessing the shadows: A meta-analysis of GLP-1 agonists and suicidal ideation.

Summary

Results from this study7

Studies that did not test the peptide alone4

Version history

Subjects

Publication types

MeSH terms

Keywords