This week, a recent study reported an unconventional use for semaglutide, which is the active component in the popular obesity medication Wegovy. This study suggests that the drug may be helpful for individuals dealing with alcohol use disorder. The research showed that people taking semaglutide for weight loss also had significant reductions in symptoms of alcohol dependence, based on a small sample size. In light of these findings, clinical trials are now underway to further investigate this potential link.
Semaglutide, a synthetic form of the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), was initially approved to manage type 2 diabetes in 2017 under the name Ozempic. In 2021, it received FDA approval for use as a higher-dose formulation, Wegovy, to treat obesity. In clinical studies, semaglutide has demonstrated far greater effectiveness than diet, exercise, or other obesity medications for promoting weight loss, with patients typically losing around 15% of their initial weight.
Although GLP-1 primarily affects the gut, it is also present in the brain. Semaglutide is believed to influence appetite not only by impacting the digestive system, such as by slowing digestion, but also by interacting with brain cells. This mechanism has led to speculation that semaglutide could reduce cravings for substances other than food.
In animal studies, semaglutide has been linked to reduced alcohol and drug intake. Anecdotal reports have also indicated that some people consuming semaglutide have experienced lower alcohol and gambling involvement. Published this week in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, this new study marks one of the first formal investigations into these claims. The study examined six patients who were prescribed semaglutide for weight loss and had previously been diagnosed with alcohol use disorder. All of them showed a clear reduction in their alcohol-related symptoms, even those who did not experience substantial weight loss during their treatment with semaglutide.
“This case series aligns with earlier evidence and suggests that GLP-1RAs have the potential to effectively treat alcohol use disorder,” the study authors stated. Researchers from the University of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences have already begun recruiting patients with alcohol use disorder for randomized clinical trials on semaglutide, with additional trials being funded and conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
While Novo Nordisk would need to apply for regulatory approval to extend semaglutide’s use to alcohol use disorder, the current limited availability of effective alcohol use disorder treatments underscores the importance of investigating semaglutide’s potential in this area. “This research represents significant progress in understanding the potential application of semaglutide in the field of addiction medicine,” said lead author Jesse Richards, director of Obesity Medicine and assistant professor of Medicine at OU-TU School of Community Medicine, in a statement.
