ONE STEP WONDER –
Nov. 13, 2024 – Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are enormously popular for people with diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular risk. So, health professionals wondered: Could these drugs also be the key to curbing excess drinking?
In fact, glucagon-like peptide 1 drugs such as semaglutide and liraglutide can be effective at curbing alcohol abuse, a study published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry suggests. Researchers in Sweden examined more than a quarter million people with alcohol-use disorder and found those who had taken GLP-1 drugs cut their risk for hospitalization.
Researchers not involved in the study described it as an important finding and one scientists had been investigating in recent years. However, they warned that Ozempic is not yet ready to replace the three medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for alcohol abuse.
