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GLP-1 medicines and mood

Questions about mood and GLP-1 medicines have been in the news for years. In January 2026 the FDA gave its most complete answer yet on the most serious of them. This page sets out what it found, what the labels report now, and why any change in mood is still worth talking about.

By the Cafeity teamUpdated 3 min read

The short answer

In January 2026 the FDA asked for warnings about suicidal behaviour and ideation to be removed from the labels of GLP-1 weight-management medicines, after its review — including a meta-analysis of 91 placebo-controlled trials — did not identify an increased risk.1 The current labels for semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide no longer carry that warning. The labels do list anxiety in some trials at low rates, and mood changes appear among the signs of low blood sugar for people on insulin or a sulfonylurea.23 Anyone with low mood or thoughts of self-harm should speak to a clinician; in a crisis, call emergency services — in the US you can call or text 988.

What the FDA concluded in 2026

The FDA opened a review in 2023 after post-marketing reports of suicidal thoughts in people taking GLP-1 medicines, and shared preliminary findings in 2024. On 13 January 2026 it announced that it had not identified an increased risk of suicidal ideation or behaviour with these medicines, and asked manufacturers to remove the warning from the labels of the weight-management products.1

The prescribing information published since then reflects that: the warnings and precautions sections of the current semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide weight-management labels no longer include it.432

What the labels report about mood

Mood-related reactions in the current prescribing information, where reported.
Medicine and trialReactionMedicinePlacebo
Liraglutide 3 mg (adults)Anxiety2%1.6%
Liraglutide 3 mg (adults)Insomnia2.4%1.7%
Liraglutide 3 mg (adolescents)Depression4%2.4%
Semaglutide 2.4 mg (adolescents)Anxiety4%2%

Sources: prescribing information.24

These are small differences in small groups, and the labels do not describe them as warnings. For people taking insulin or a sulfonylurea, anxiety, irritability and mood changes are also listed among the signs of low blood sugar.3

The everyday side

Mood on a GLP-1 is shaped by more than the molecule. Eating much less, side effects, disrupted sleep, a changing body and changing relationships with food can all affect how people feel — for better and for worse. Many people describe the quieting of food noise as a relief; others miss food as a source of comfort. Both are worth noticing and worth mentioning.

When to contact your prescriber

Keeping a record of it

Cafeity's check-ins include mood and sleep, in your own words and on your own scale, alongside everything else. A few weeks of that is a far clearer thing to bring to an appointment than "I have not felt myself".

Cafeity calories and macros screen: 284 of 2,550 kcal, protein 71 of 170 g, carbohydrate and fat, with steps and a how-you-feel mood check-in below.
A how-you-feel check-in on the day.
Cafeity Visit Summary set-up: a period picker (4 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, custom) and switches for medication and doses, weight trend, body measurements, symptoms, protein and energy, activity and sleep, and notes tagged for the prescriber.
Symptoms and notes for your prescriber.

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Common questions

Do GLP-1 medicines cause suicidal thoughts?
The FDA's 2026 review did not identify an increased risk and asked for the warning to be removed from the labels.1 Anyone having such thoughts should still get help straight away.
Can GLP-1 medicines cause anxiety?
Anxiety appears in some label tables at low rates close to placebo — for example 2% against 1.6% on liraglutide 3 mg.2 Low blood sugar, in people on some diabetes medicines, can also cause anxiety.3

Sources

  1. FDA requests removal of suicidal behavior and ideation warning from GLP-1 receptor agonist medications US Food and Drug Administration, Drug Safety Communication, 13 January 2026
  2. Liraglutide 3 mg injection for weight management — US prescribing information DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine, version published 15 June 2026
  3. Tirzepatide injection for weight management and obstructive sleep apnoea — US prescribing information DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine, version published 2 September 2026
  4. Semaglutide injection and tablets for weight management — US prescribing information DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine, version published 30 June 2026

Written by the Cafeity team from the sources listed here. Figures from prescribing information are quoted as the label states them; trial results are averages from those trials, not predictions for any one person. This page has not yet been reviewed by a clinician — see the editorial policy for how pages are researched and corrected.