A study from Rutgers University examined whether GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy influence impulsive tendencies and violent behavior in adults.
To answer this question, researchers analyzed data from a 2025 survey of 7,521 adults in the United States. Their main focus was on 821 participants who had used a GLP-1 medication. These participants were also asked whether they had taken part in various violent crimes sometime in the past year.
"We view this study as a first step, not a final answer," lead author Daniel Semenza, director of research at the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center at the Rutgers School of Public Health, told Gizmodo.
"As GLP-1 drugs become increasingly widespread, it is important to understand all of their potential behavioral effects, including those relevant to public safety," Semenza commented.
The study compared people who were currently taking the drugs with those who had used them in the past. It also looked at how impulsive behavior and alcohol use were connected to violent actions such as fighting, assault, and robbery.
The results, published in Criminology, showed that people with higher impulsivity and greater alcohol use were generally more likely to engage in violent behavior. However, these links were much weaker among those who were currently using GLP-1 medications.
Among current users, the connection between impulsivity and violent behavior was about 62% weaker than among former users. The link between alcohol use and violent behavior was about 52% weaker, although those findings were less consistent in additional analyses.
"GLP-1 receptor agonists appear to affect reward processing, craving, stress regulation, and behavioral control," Semenza said. "One interpretation of our findings is that these medications may weaken the extent to which impulsive tendencies or alcohol-related risk translate into violent behavior."
The researchers stressed that the study does not prove GLP-1 drugs directly reduce violent behavior. Since it was an observational study, it can only show an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship.
"The scientific community is only beginning to understand the broader behavioral effects of these medications," Semenza concluded. "Our study suggests violence-related outcomes may be part of that conversation, but much more research is needed before drawing firm conclusions."
The authors said that more long-term and controlled studies are needed to determine whether GLP-1 medications can actually reduce the risk of violence and to better understand how they may affect behavior.
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