Popular drugs for diabetes management and weight loss, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, could also be effective in reducing alcohol use, according to a study
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Popular drugs for diabetes management and weight loss, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, could also be effective in reducing alcohol use, according to a study.
The study, led by researchers at Virginia Tech, US, showed that GLP-1 agonists slow the speed at which alcohol enters the bloodstream, also slowing down the effects on the brain.
"People who drink know there's a difference between nursing a glass of wine and downing a shot of whiskey," said Alex DiFeliceantonio, Assistant Professor at the varsity’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute.
A standard serving of either has 0.6 ounces of alcohol, but the shot brings a rapid increase in blood-alcohol content. It feels different because of the way the body handles alcohol over time.
"Why would this matter? Faster-acting drugs have a higher abuse potential," DiFeliceantonio said. "They have a different impact on the brain. So if GLP-1s slow alcohol entering the bloodstream, they could reduce the effects of alcohol and help people drink less," the researcher added.
In the pilot study on 20 participants, the team reported that despite consuming similar doses of alcohol calculated to increase breath alcohol concentration to approximately 0.08 per cent, concentration increased more slowly in participants taking semaglutide, tirzepatide, or liraglutide.
Participants in that group also reported feeling less intoxicated on subjective measures.
The team stated that while other medications designed to help reduce alcohol intake, such as naltrexone and acamprosate, act on the central nervous system, GLP-1s were found to suppress intake through a different mechanism.
The drugs slow gastric emptying, which can lead to a slower rise in blood alcohol, revealed the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports.
"The possibility of offering new hope to individuals struggling with addiction is what makes this work so meaningful," the researchers said.
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