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Can A Drug Like Ozempic Help Treat Addictions to Alcohol, Opioids or Other Substances?


Ozempic

If you have read a few of our blog posts, you have likely heard of the drug that is increasingly being prescribed for weight loss these days, Semaglutide (sold as Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus). This drug was initially developed to treat diabetes and recently there has been rising interest whether it can also be used to treat addictions.


Case reports from patients taking semaglutide for weight loss suggest not only does it reduce their appetite and cravings for food, but also it may reduce their desire to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or take other drugs. You're probably thinking, that's great from a case perspective, but what does research have to say about this though?


Animal studies in rodents and monkeys have been overwhelmingly positive. Studies suggest GLP-1 agonists can reduce drug consumption and the rewarding value of drugs, including alcohol, nicotine, cocaine and opioids. However, how does the evidence from animal studies translate to humans living with addiction?


Research findings are mixed in human studies. Only one large randomized controlled trial has been conducted so far on alcohol; and the not so interesting results found no difference in reducing alcohol use or heavy drinking in compared with the placebo. However, with further analysis authors found a reduction in drinking for people who had both alcohol use problems and obesity. Another trial studied the effect of GLP-1 agonists in smoking reduction and there were no promising results found.


As you can tell, it’s difficult to interpret the conflicting results. These differences in treatment response may come from individual differences that affect addiction, including confounding factors such as physical and mental health problems.


In summary, we still don't know as there is insufficient data to show the impact of medications like Ozempic in addiction/substance-use disorders. Further research is required with larger studies in broader populations of people to indicate whether GLP-1 agonists will work for addiction, and, if so, for whom.


As previously mentioned, we have written about these medications before. If you are currently taking a weight-loss medication like Ozempic or Wegovy and would like further information on how these medications work and/or how long they are meant to be taken, check out the following links for further reading:




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