Researchers are still determining whether these physical health improvements extend to other areas of life, including mental health, relationships and employment.

A new National Bureau of Economic Research report examined that question. Researchers Robert Kaestner, an economist at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, and co-author Cuipin Ciman found little evidence that GLP-1 use led to measurable changes in mental health, self-rated health, employment or marital status among adults with diabetes.

“We know that these drugs improve health conditions, and there are numerous studies proving their benefits,” Kaestner said. “What wasn’t really considered was whether these improvements extended to other areas of people’s lives.”

Study Examines GLP-1 Drugs Beyond Physical Health

The question is becoming increasingly important as insurance companies and government programs consider whether to expand access to GLP-1 therapies. Although the medications’ medical benefits are well documented, it is less clear whether they also produce social or economic benefits that could strengthen the case for broader coverage.

To investigate, the researchers analyzed more than 10 years of data from the nationally representative Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. The analysis focused on adults with diabetes between 2012 and 2023.

In addition to comparing people who used GLP-1 drugs with those who did not, the researchers followed the same individuals over time. This allowed them to examine whether patients’ circumstances changed after they began treatment.

The researchers assessed several measures of well-being, including symptoms of depression, psychological distress, self-rated health, employment and marital status.

At first, GLP-1 users appeared to differ from non-users in areas such as employment and marriage. However, when the researchers examined changes within the same individuals over time, those differences largely disappeared.

This pattern suggests that the initial gaps may have reflected differences between the types of people who used GLP-1 drugs and those who did not, rather than effects caused by the medications themselves.

Few Measurable Changes Outside Physical Health

The findings were similar whether the researchers evaluated patients after about one year of GLP-1 use or followed them for up to two years.

In both cases, the researchers found little evidence that the medications produced meaningful changes in the broader life outcomes measured in the study.

Kaestner emphasized that the results do not prove GLP-1 drugs have no effects beyond physical health. Some changes may be more subtle or difficult to capture using the study’s measures.

“We measured outcomes such as whether someone was employed or unemployed, married or divorced, and standard indicators of mental health,” he said. “While these are important measures, they do not necessarily capture changes in self-esteem, relationship quality or other daily experiences.”

GLP-1 Medical Benefits Remain Well Established

The researchers also stressed that the findings do not cast doubt on the medical value of GLP-1 drugs.

For adults with diabetes, the clearest measurable benefits remain improved blood sugar control, weight loss and better physical health—outcomes that have already been demonstrated in clinical studies.

As GLP-1 drugs become more widely used beyond diabetes and for weight management, researchers will have more opportunities to study whether broader social effects emerge in other groups or over longer periods.

“This is still a very new area of research,” Kaestner said. “As use continues to increase, understanding these broader impacts will become increasingly important for patients, clinicians and policymakers alike.”