Ozempic and other weight loss drugs could help treat alcohol and drug addiction, study says
The case that Ozempic (NVO) and other GLP-1 medications could help people with substance use disorders is getting stronger.
Blockbuster diabetes and weight loss drugs, known as GLP-1 treatments, could help people struggling with alcohol and opioid addiction, according to a new study published Thursday in the scientific journal Addiction.
In a retrospective study, researchers found that patients with opioid use disorder who had a GLP-1 prescription had a 40% lower rate of opioid overdoses compared with those without a prescription.
Additionally, people with alcohol use disorder with a GLP-1 prescription had 50% fewer instances of alcohol intoxication compared with those without a prescription.
Researchers from the Loyola University Chicago made the findings by analyzing the medical records of over 500,000 patients with substance use disorders.
GLP-1s are a class of diabetes and obesity medications that mimic a hormone that interacts with a region of the brain – the mesolimbic system – to reduce appetite and trigger satisfaction after eating. Demand for these medications has turned Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly (LLY), the producer of Mounjaro and Zepbound (both GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss), into the largest pharma companies in the world.
Additionally, the mesolimbic system overlaps with the brain processes that influence addictive behaviors. This overlap suggests that these medications may “modulate the reward-response pathways associated with substance use,” the study authors wrote.
The study follows other anecdotal evidence from patients and healthcare providers that suggests GLP-1 drugs can help users curb addictions.
A Morgan Stanley (MS) survey from earlier this year found that people using GLP-1 drugs — among them Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound — reduced their consumption of tobacco.
The investment bank surveyed approximately 300 GLP-1 users about their consumption habits while taking the medication.
While 40% of survey respondents said they smoked cigarettes at least weekly before starting a GLP-1 treatment, that number fell to 24% after they started the treatment. Meanwhile, weekly e-cigarette usage dropped from 30% of respondents to 16% after they started taking a GLP-1.
The analysts noted they were “cautious about drawing conclusions” from their survey about the impact of GLP-1 drugs on addictive behaviors. While research hasn’t yet proven a causal link, clinical trials are currently underway to better understand the effects of GLP-1s on alcohol and tobacco consumption.
One small trial found that people with alcohol use disorder drank less after taking semaglutide — the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic — compared with people who took a placebo.