A recent study conducted in South Korea has raised significant public health concerns by suggesting that prescription weight-loss medications are associated with an elevated risk of depression and suicidal thoughts.
Researchers analyzed the mental health data of 27,000 adult participants, which included 846 individuals who reported using prescribed weight-loss drugs. The findings revealed that participants using these medications experienced a 93 percent higher likelihood of developing depression and a striking 168 percent increase in reporting suicidal ideation compared to those not using such treatments.
The safety of anti-obesity and weight-loss drugs has faced intense regulatory scrutiny following hundreds of adverse event reports submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Numerous patients reported experiencing severe psychological distress, dysphoria, and suicidal thoughts while on the medication—often with no prior history of mental health disorders before beginning the drug regimen.
