There has been an uptick in patients being treated for eating disorders who are abusing GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy, according to research published Aug. 1 in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.
Two separate studies — one focusing on semaglutide misuse in patients with atypical anorexia nervosa, the other on GLP-1 weight loss drug use in patients with bipolar disorder or eating disorders — "alert clinicians of the importance of reviewing patients and medical and psychiatric histories, being attuned to patient histories of weight fluctuations, and screening for eating dysregulation when prescribing weight-loss approved medications," authors wrote.
In one study, a patient with anorexia who misused semaglutide lost 40 pounds in nine months. In the other study, researchers found that among patients given liraglutide, "recipients had higher levels of binge-eating and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol," according to the results.
An increasing number of physicians are seeing these patients come into their offices, they told NBC, and in many cases they don't have to have an eating disorder before taking the medication to develop one while on it.
"The reports of eating disorders associated with these drugs raise concern and emphasize the need for independent analysis of the data," Rita Redberg, a cardiologist and professor at the University of California, San Francisco, told NBC. "We should have robust and publicly available data on the risks and benefits."
In March, the Collaborative of Eating Disorders called for more attention to this area of concern.
"The use of GLP-1s in pursuit of weight loss can increase the risk for developing an eating disorder, contribute to relapse for those who have previously struggled, and exacerbate the symptomatology in individuals who are currently struggling…," the group wrote, urging healthcare providers to join the conversation and do more on their part as well.
Drugmakers of the GLP-1's, like Novo Nordisk, told NBC they "trust that healthcare providers are evaluating a patient's individual needs in determining which medicine is right for that patient."