After weight loss surgery, many people struggle with depression, which can make it harder to keep the weight off. Researchers tested whether a common cholesterol medication called rosuvastatin could help improve mood in rats that had gastric banding surgery. The drug appeared to boost mood-related chemicals in the brain, reduce harmful stress molecules, and increase vitamin D levels. While these results are promising, this was an early-stage animal study, so much more research is needed before doctors might recommend this approach for people recovering from weight loss surgery.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether a cholesterol-lowering medication called rosuvastatin could help reduce depression-like symptoms in animals that had weight loss surgery.
  • Who participated: Twenty-four male rats were divided into four groups: some had fake surgery, some had actual weight loss surgery (gastric banding), and some in each group received rosuvastatin while others received a placebo for 4 months.
  • Key finding: Rats that received rosuvastatin after weight loss surgery showed improvements in depression-like behavior, had better brain chemistry (more mood-boosting chemicals), less cellular damage from stress, and higher vitamin D levels compared to rats that didn’t receive the medication.
  • What it means for you: This early research suggests rosuvastatin might help people feel better emotionally after weight loss surgery, but this was only tested in rats. Much more research in humans is needed before doctors would consider using this approach clinically. If you’re struggling with mood after weight loss surgery, talk to your doctor about proven treatments like therapy or other medications designed for depression.

The Research Details

Researchers used 24 male rats and divided them into four equal groups. One group had fake surgery and received salt water (the control group), another had fake surgery but received rosuvastatin, a third group had actual weight loss surgery (gastric banding), and the fourth group had weight loss surgery plus rosuvastatin. All treatments lasted 4 months. The researchers then measured the rats’ body weight, checked their blood fat levels, tested their behavior for signs of depression, and examined their brain tissue and blood for various chemicals and markers of health.

This type of study is called a preclinical animal study. Scientists use animals to test new ideas before they can safely test them in humans. Rats are often used because their brains work similarly to human brains in many ways, and researchers can carefully control all the conditions of the study.

The researchers measured several important things: depressive-like behavior (how the rats acted), brain chemicals that affect mood (serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline), a growth factor important for brain health (BDNF), protective molecules that fight cellular damage (antioxidants), and vitamin D levels along with the genes that control vitamin D in the body.

This research approach is important because it allows scientists to test whether a drug might work before trying it in humans. By using a controlled animal model, researchers can measure brain chemistry directly and understand the exact mechanisms of how a drug might help. This type of foundational research is necessary before any human clinical trials could be considered.

This is a preliminary animal study, which means it’s an early-stage investigation. The sample size is small (24 rats), and animal studies don’t always translate to the same results in humans. The study was well-designed with proper control groups and measured multiple relevant outcomes, which strengthens the findings. However, because this is only in animals and hasn’t been tested in humans yet, the results should be viewed as interesting but not yet proven for human use.

What the Results Show

Rats that received rosuvastatin after weight loss surgery showed significantly better mood-related behavior compared to rats that had surgery without the medication. The researchers measured this by observing how the rats behaved in tests designed to detect depression-like symptoms.

When the researchers examined the rats’ brains, they found that rosuvastatin treatment was associated with higher levels of important mood-regulating chemicals: serotonin (which helps regulate mood), dopamine (which affects motivation and pleasure), and noradrenaline (which affects alertness and mood). These chemicals are naturally lower after weight loss surgery, which may explain why depression is common after the procedure.

The medication also appeared to reduce cellular damage caused by oxidative stress (harmful molecules that damage cells). The rats receiving rosuvastatin had higher levels of protective antioxidants like catalase and superoxide dismutase, and lower levels of a harmful marker called malondialdehyde.

Additionally, rosuvastatin treatment was associated with higher vitamin D levels in the blood. The researchers found that the medication affected the genes that control how the body makes and breaks down vitamin D, helping the body maintain better vitamin D status.

The study also found that rosuvastatin treatment was associated with improvements in the rats’ lipid profiles (blood fat levels), which is expected since rosuvastatin is a cholesterol-lowering medication. The medication appeared to work through multiple pathways in the body, not just by lowering cholesterol. The vitamin D-related findings were particularly interesting because vitamin D naturally decreases after weight loss surgery, and low vitamin D has been linked to depression in other research.

Previous research has shown that depression is common after weight loss surgery and can interfere with long-term weight loss success. Other studies have suggested that statins (cholesterol medications) may have mood-related benefits beyond their cholesterol-lowering effects, and that vitamin D plays a role in mood regulation. This study builds on those observations by testing whether rosuvastatin specifically might address multiple problems at once: it lowers cholesterol, may boost mood-related brain chemicals, reduces cellular damage, and helps maintain vitamin D levels.

This study has several important limitations. First, it was only conducted in rats, and results in animals don’t always apply to humans. Second, the sample size was small (24 rats total, only 6 per group), which limits how confident we can be in the results. Third, this was a short-term study (4 months in rats), and we don’t know if benefits would continue longer or if there might be side effects with extended use. Fourth, the study didn’t test actual doses of rosuvastatin that would be used in humans, so we can’t directly apply these findings to human treatment. Finally, this study doesn’t prove that rosuvastatin causes these improvements—it only shows associations, meaning the changes occurred together but doesn’t prove one caused the other.

The Bottom Line

Based on this preliminary animal research, rosuvastatin cannot yet be recommended as a treatment for post-surgery depression in humans. This is very early-stage research that needs to be followed by human studies before any clinical recommendations could be made. If you’re experiencing depression after weight loss surgery, current evidence-based treatments include therapy (particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy), antidepressant medications designed for depression, vitamin D supplementation if deficient, and lifestyle modifications like exercise and social support. Talk to your doctor about these proven options.

This research is most relevant to researchers studying weight loss surgery complications and depression, and to doctors who treat patients after bariatric surgery. People who have had or are considering weight loss surgery should be aware of this emerging research but should not expect their doctors to prescribe rosuvastatin specifically for mood based on this study. People currently taking rosuvastatin for cholesterol should not change their medication based on this research. Anyone struggling with depression after weight loss surgery should seek help from their healthcare provider.

This is preliminary research, so there is no realistic timeline for clinical application yet. If this research leads to human studies, it would typically take 5-10 years or more before any new treatment recommendations could be established. In the meantime, people dealing with post-surgery depression should pursue proven treatments available today.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • If you’ve had weight loss surgery, track your mood daily using a simple 1-10 scale, noting any patterns related to vitamin D levels, exercise, sleep, and social connection. This helps identify what actually affects your mood and provides data to discuss with your doctor.
  • Focus on proven mood-boosters after weight loss surgery: ensure adequate vitamin D intake (through sunlight, food, or supplements as recommended by your doctor), maintain regular physical activity, prioritize sleep, and stay connected with supportive people. These evidence-based approaches can help improve mood while you work with your healthcare team.
  • Track mood, energy levels, sleep quality, and vitamin D status (if your doctor recommends testing) over 8-12 weeks. Note any changes in depression symptoms, motivation, and overall well-being. Share this information with your doctor to help guide treatment decisions and ensure you’re getting appropriate support for post-surgery depression.

This research is preliminary animal study data and has not been tested in humans. Rosuvastatin is a medication that should only be used as prescribed by a doctor for its approved purposes (lowering cholesterol). Do not start, stop, or change any medications based on this research. If you are experiencing depression after weight loss surgery or at any other time, please consult with a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional. This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always discuss any concerns about mood or mental health with your doctor before making any changes to your treatment plan.