- A new study suggests that semaglutide, the active ingredient in GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could help treat alcohol use disorder.
- Similar effects were seen with liraglutide, the active ingredient in the weight loss drug Saxenda, and the diabetes drug Victoza.
- Experts say the positive effects may have to do with the drugs’ effects on dopamine.
- More research is needed before GLP-1 drugs can be prescribed as a treatment for alcohol use disorder.
Semaglutide, the active ingredient in blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, may help people drink less alcohol. These GLP-1 drugs are commonly prescribed for diabetes management and weight loss.
The research, published on November 13 in
The study, which included around 228,000 people in Sweden, showed a 36% lower risk of hospitalization among those taking semaglutide.
The researchers also examined the effects of liraglutide (Saxenda and Victoza), a GLP-1 prescribed for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, and found a 28% lower risk of alcohol-related hospitalization among subjects.
While the findings show promise for treating alcohol use disorder, the researchers say that more rigorous studies are needed.
“Our study suggests that besides obesity and diabetes, GLP-1-agonists may also help in the treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders; however, these findings need to be further validated in randomised controlled trials,” lead study author Markku Lähteenvuo, MD, PhD, of the University of Eastern Finland and the Niuvanniemi Hospital, in a statement.
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a brain disorder affecting more than 28 million adults in the United States, according to the
AUD is characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. People with AUD are often unable to stop or control their drinking despite the negative effects it has on their lives.
Currently, AUD has only three FDA-approved drug treatments:
- acamprosate
- disulfiram
- naltrexone
The JAMA Psychiatry study builds on evidence suggesting that GLP-1 drugs could help treat AUD.
A small study published in 2023 in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that semaglutide helped treat alcohol use disorder in patients who were prescribed the drug for weight loss.
The case series, which included six patients, involved people who had positively screened for alcohol use disorder. The patients experienced improvement in their alcohol use disorder symptoms, which was described in a press release from the University of Oklahoma as “remarkable.”
During follow-up, all six patients had AUDIT (alcohol use disorders identification test) scores that indicated “low-risk” drinking, according to the report. This would generally indicate that a person does not have a problem with drinking.
The study authors had noted a strong potential for semaglutide to become an effective tool to help treat AUD.
Alexandra Sowa, MD of SoWell Health, who is a board certified obesity medicine expert and a clinical instructor of medicine at NYU, explained that it’s not surprising that a drug used to treat diabetes and obesity might also affect alcohol use disorder.
“GLP-1 medications don’t just work on the stomach,” she told Healthline, “they touch every organ, from the heart to the brain.
“We have known for a long time that dopamine is the ‘pleasure’ hormone that becomes overly activated in addiction, be it addiction to food, alcohol or even video games,” Sowa added.
“GLP-1 medications reduce the release of dopamine, making previously ‘rewarding’ behaviors, like over-drinking, far less enjoyable,” she explained.
Jonathan Kaplan, MD, a board certified plastic surgeon and owner of Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery, told Healthline that GLP-1 drugs could also potentially treat other “OCD-like tendencies,” including nail biting, online shopping, smoking, or vaping.
Given that alcohol use disorder is not a curable condition, a person would likely need to remain on semaglutide throughout their life to control their symptoms.
So, what do we know about its long-term effects?
“This class of drugs have been around for 20+ years so we do know the most common side effects are GI in nature (nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea),” Kaplan said.
Long-term side effects can include medullary thyroid cancer, he added. However, Kaplan pointed out that this was mostly seen in lab rats, not humans.
“Medullary thyroid cancer in humans has remained rare and unchanged for 30+ years,” he noted.
Kaplan concluded the benefits of semaglutide appear to outweigh the risks when it comes to alcohol use disorder.
Sowa said that it’s too early to say how well semaglutide will work for alcohol use disorder, including when it comes to long-term sobriety.
“I wouldn’t recommend semaglutide for AUD in isolation, but if a patient meets BMI or blood sugar criteria for use, and over-drinking is an issue, it’s a win-win medication,” she said.
Kaplan agreed, noting that more research on the effects of semaglutide on alcohol use is needed.
“Hundreds or thousands of patients would be the gold standard type of study needed before declaring ‘success’ and recommending this as sole treatment,” he said. “But it’s certainly promising.”
New research builds on evidence suggesting that semaglutide, the active ingredient in GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, could help treat alcohol use disorder. Similar effects were also seen with liraglutide, the active ingredient in Saxenda.
Alcohol use disorder is a brain disorder characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. Currently, only three drug treatments exist for this condition.
The effects of semaglutide and liraglutide on treating AUD could be linked to the drugs’ effects on the pleasure hormone dopamine, making drinking a less rewarding experience.
While larger studies are needed to determine whether semaglutide will become a treatment for alcohol use disorder, experts say the research so far is “promising.”
