Weight Loss Medications Could Lower Rates of Opioid Overdose and Alcohol Intoxication: Study

A new study finds weight loss medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro could lower rates of opioid overdose and alcohol intoxication.

Researchers analyzed eight years of health records from more than 500,000 patients with a history of opioid use disorder and more than 800,000 patients with a history of alcohol use disorder. They found people with a history of alcohol use disorder who had a prescription for Ozempic or a similar medication had a 50% lower rate of binging on alcohol, compared with those who were not taking the medications, NPR reports.

People with opioid use disorder who were taking the medications had a 40% lower rate of opioid overdose, the researchers found.

Christian Hendershot, director of clinical research at the University of Southern California Institute for Addiction Science, who was not involved in the study, said it is too soon to endorse off-label use of weight-loss medications for substance use disorder treatment. He noted the new findings are based on observational data, and more research is needed using rigorously conducted, randomized-controlled clinical trials.

Dr. Lorenzo Leggio, the clinical director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, said there are currently several randomized-controlled clinical trials underway that are evaluating how these medications affect people’s drinking and substance use habits.