Jump to: What is anxiety? | What is Mounjaro? | Why take Mounjaro if you have anxiety? | Take home message
You can take Mounjaro (tirzepatide) if you have anxiety and your BMI is over 27. There are no known interactions between Mounjaro and anti-anxiety medications.
Ongoing research is investigating the potential role of GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro as a possible treatment for mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.
One study showed that patients being prescribed Mounjaro saw a 60% reduction in anxiety diagnosis compared to those not prescribed the medication.
As obesity is strongly associated with an increased risk of developing anxiety, it’s possible that losing weight, improving blood sugar levels, and improving our overall health will reduce anxiety-related symptoms.
The hormone GLP-1 communicates directly with the brain and the central nervous system to lower food-seeking behaviour and reward. This connection to the brain may also impact our mood regulation.
So, Mounjaro may support people living with anxiety who have a BMI over 27 through several mechanisms.
Still, some people report temporary increases in anxiety when starting any new medication. While this is normal, it’s essential to monitor your anxiety levels and discuss any significant changes with your healthcare provider.
If you take Mounjaro with anxiety, it’s recommended that you continue your prescribed anxiety medications, maintain regular contact with your mental health team, and continue any ongoing therapy, like CBT.
We’d recommend letting your healthcare team know if you start taking Mounjaro for weight loss.
On Second Nature’s Mounjaro weight-loss programme, the clinical team monitors your progress and response to medication.
All Second Nature members have access to a nutritionist or dietitian five days a week for habit change and diet support.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is more than just feeling worried or stressed. It’s a clinical condition that can cause persistent fear, worry, and unease.
Physical symptoms might include rapid heartbeat, sweating, difficulty sleeping, and changes in appetite.
There’s a complex relationship between anxiety and weight. Some people experience increased appetite and stress eating when anxious, while others may find their appetite diminishes.
Research suggests that people with anxiety are more likely to develop obesity, and those with obesity often experience higher rates of anxiety.
When anxiety affects eating patterns, it can create a cycle that makes both weight management and anxiety symptoms more challenging to control.
For example, many people living with obesity will use food as a coping mechanism when they experience challenging emotions.
This self-soothing through food can lead to more challenging emotions due to feelings of guilt and shame, further worsening feelings of anxiety.
The connection between obesity and anxiety is not entirely understood, and it’s likely the relationship is bi-directional (where obesity can increase the risk of anxiety and vice versa).
However, there’s good evidence to suggest that losing weight and improving our physical health can significantly improve anxiety-related symptoms.
What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is a dual-action weight-loss injection. It supports weight loss by mimicking two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, that communicate with the brain’s appetite control centre, the hypothalamus, to lower hunger and food-seeking behaviour.
By lowering hunger and our desire to eat, Mounjaro helps us eat fewer calories to achieve a calorie deficit.
A calorie deficit occurs when we consume fewer calories than our body needs to fuel its essential functions, such as digestion, blood flow, and brain function.
By creating a calorie deficit, our bodies will ‘burn’ the excess fat stored for energy, and we’ll lose weight.
Mounjaro also slows down the rate at which we digest food so that our stomach and gut send signals to the brain to signal the feeling of fullness.
So, Mounjaro supports weight loss by making us feel less hungry through two mechanisms:
1. Communicating with the brain’s appetite control centre
2. Slowing the rate that food is digested
Randomised controlled trials have shown that Mounjaro leads to an average weight loss of around 26% after one year.
Why take Mounjaro if you have anxiety?
Research suggests that there’s an association between obesity and mental health conditions like anxiety.
For example, one study showed a 40% increased relative risk of being diagnosed with anxiety if your BMI is over 30.
Excess body fat may contribute to the development of mental health conditions due to factors like increased inflammation, poor gut health, and high blood sugar levels.
The relationship between obesity and anxiety is evident in human clinical trials, which show that anxiety improves following weight loss.
Taking Mounjaro when you have anxiety may offer several benefits:
1. A structured approach to food and nutrition: Mounjaro can help regulate eating patterns that may have been disrupted by anxiety, providing a more structured approach to our eating habits.
2. Reduced food-related stress: Mounjaro might help reduce anxiety around food choices and eating behaviours by decreasing hunger and cravings.
3. Breaking stress-eating cycles: The medication can help interrupt patterns of emotional or stress-related eating that often accompany anxiety.
Alongside Mounjaro’s impact on our appetite and weight, novel research suggests that one of the hormones it mimics may directly affect our brain chemistry and function, improving our psychological health.
For example, Mounjaro activates GLP-1 receptors in brain areas linked to our mood regulation, such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
While not fully understood, this activation of GLP-1 receptors in these brain regions may improve our mood regulation and lower anxiety-related symptoms.
However, it’s essential to maintain appropriate mental health support throughout your weight loss journey.
Take home message
Weight-loss medications like Mounjaro are most effective when combined with proper anxiety management and lifestyle support.
While Mounjaro can help with weight loss, it should be part of an approach that includes ongoing mental health care.
Remember that managing both anxiety and weight takes time, and it’s essential to be patient with yourself during this process. Changes in eating habits can be stressful, so having proper support is crucial.
Second Nature’s medication programmes
Second Nature has two medication-supported programmes: a Wegovy weight-loss programme and a Mounjaro weight-loss programme.
Why should you choose Second Nature over other medication providers if you’ve decided to try Mounjaro or Wegovy (assuming you’re eligible)?
For peace of mind.
Second Nature has worked with the NHS for over 6 years, providing weight-loss programmes across the UK.
While our Wegovy and Mounjaro weight-loss programmes are private and not currently used by the NHS, we’ve built the programmes focusing on scientific evidence, patient safety, and data security.
We hope that our 6+ years of working with the NHS and building a track record of effective weight-loss results will give you peace of mind to give us a try.
