Growing Evidence Suggests Weight-Loss Drugs May Treat Alcohol Use Disorder

Growing evidence suggests that newer weight-loss drugs such as semaglutide (Ozempic) may be useful in treating alcohol use disorder, NBC News reports.

Studies that analyze medical records indicate a link between semaglutide prescriptions and a reduced risk of alcohol use disorder, cannabis use disorder and opioid use disorder.

There’s growing evidence to suggest that GLP-1 drugs, which include semaglutide, may be useful for treating alcohol use disorder, the article notes.

A study published this week found semaglutide can help curb alcohol cravings. The New York Times reports it is the first randomized controlled trial on semaglutide and alcohol consumption.

The study found that compared with placebo, weekly injections of semaglutide helped reduce cravings in people with alcohol use disorders. Semaglutide also seemed to reduce the quantity and frequency of alcohol intake, HealthDay reports.

Dr. Lorenzo Leggio, a scientist at the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Baltimore, who is the lead investigator of a study on semaglutide and alcohol use, called STAR-B, notes that currently, only 2% of people with alcohol use disorder receive an FDA-approved medication for alcohol use disorder in the United States and that semaglutide may help narrow that gap.