A Man Developed a Rare Brain Condition Linked to Vitamin Deficiency While Taking Semaglutide

Non-alcoholic Wernicke encephalopathy occurred in a 37-year-old male patient in the setting of semaglutide use, presenting with dysphagia, slurred speech, word-finding difficulty, and restricted extraocular movements.

Single case report documenting clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, and association with semaglutide use in a patient with non-alcoholic Wernicke encephalopathy.

As millions of people use semaglutide for weight loss and diabetes, clinicians need to be aware that severe appetite suppression can lead to dangerous nutritional deficiencies. Wernicke encephalopathy can cause permanent brain damage if not recognized and treated promptly with thiamine.

GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide dramatically reduce appetite, which is their intended effect for weight loss. However, this case illustrates a serious unintended consequence: when appetite suppression leads to severely inadequate nutrition, it can cause life-threatening vitamin deficiencies. As GLP-1 drug use expands rapidly, monitoring nutritional status becomes an important safety consideration.

Single case report — cannot establish causation between semaglutide and Wernicke encephalopathy. Other contributing factors to malnutrition may not have been fully explored. The overall incidence of this complication with GLP-1 drugs is unknown.