New Research Suggests Diabetes Drug May Help with Addiction
Blockbuster Drugs Ozempic and Wegovy May Help with Drinking
The blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy may help people cut back on drinking, new research published in JAMA Psychiatry suggests. In a study of around 228,000 people in Sweden who had alcohol use disorder, researchers found that people who were taking a GLP-1 drug like semaglutide were less likely to be hospitalized for alcohol-related issues.
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Researchers Looked at Medical Records of 228,000 People
In the study, Lähteenvuo and his team looked at medical records from 228,000 people in Sweden who were diagnosed with alcohol use disorder from 2006 to 2023. All of the people in the study also had obesity or Type 2 diabetes.
Participants Were Hospitalized for alcohol use disorder at Some Point
About 60% of the participants were hospitalized for alcohol use disorder at some point during the study period. Around 75,000 people in the study used some type of medication to treat alcohol use disorder. Among that group, the team documented about 30,000 hospitalizations.
GLP-1 Drugs Show Promising Results
The alcohol-related hospitalizations were much lower among people who took a GLP-1 drug. For the roughly 4,300 people in the study who used semaglutide — the ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy — there were about 220 hospitalizations for alcohol use disorder. Others in the study were taking older GLP-1 drugs, including liraglutide and dulaglutide, and also had fewer hospitalizations.
Experts Weigh In on the Study
Using hospitalization to determine the drugs’ effects on alcohol use disorder is an imperfect measure, but experts said it is a good place to start. "Alcohol withdrawal or poisoning would be why someone would require hospitalization, which is a pretty extreme outcome," DiFeliceantonio said. Mounting research shows GLP-1 agonists warrant a closer look, especially for alcohol addiction. "We’ve known for some time from animal studies that GLP-1 receptor agonists reduce alcohol intake and motivation to consume alcohol," said Christian Hendershot, director of clinical research at the University of Southern California Institute for Addiction Science.
Conclusion
The study suggests that GLP-1 drugs may be a promising new treatment option for people with alcohol use disorder. With only three FDA-approved medications to treat alcohol use disorder, anything that can be done to study new medications, including GLP-1 agonists, is critically important for the field.
FAQs
Q: What are GLP-1 drugs and how do they work?
A: GLP-1 drugs are a type of medication that includes semaglutide and tirzepatide, which have shown potential for treating addiction. They induce the feeling of satiation, which may reduce cravings for drugs and alcohol the same way they work on food cravings.
Q: How do GLP-1 drugs reduce cravings?
A: One theory is that the drugs’ ability to induce the feeling of satiation may reduce cravings for drugs and alcohol. Another theory is that GLP-1 drugs make sugary beverages less appealing.
Q: Are there any potential risks associated with GLP-1 drugs?
A: Yes, although the drugs are very safe for people with obesity and Type 2 diabetes, they could present big safety risks for people without obesity or Type 2 diabetes, particularly because of the weight loss they induce.
Q: What’s next for research on GLP-1 drugs?
A: Newer GLP-1 drugs, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, enter the brain in different ways from older versions that have been studied, and moving forward, it will be important to test both. Early research has also explored GLP-1 drugs for nicotine and opioid addiction, with mixed results.
