A study suggests that Ozempic may help treat addiction

In short

• Patients with opioid use disorder who received medications such as Ozempic were 40 percent less likely to overdose.
• People with alcohol use disorder who received these medications saw a 50 percent reduction in alcohol consumption.
• Research suggests that GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists may be a new way to treat substance abuse.

Research shows that popular medications for weight loss such as Ozempic (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide) have positive effects on people struggling with opioid and alcohol use disorders. That’s telling Euronews. A recent study published in the journal Addiction revealed that patients with opioid use disorder who were prescribed these medications had a 40 percent reduction in overdose rates. Likewise, people with alcohol use disorder who took these medications saw a 50 percent reduction in alcohol poisoning. This finding adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists may be a new way to treat substance abuse.

The study analyzed comprehensive electronic health records from more than 136 health care systems in the US, covering more than 500,000 people with opioid use disorder and more than 800,000 people with alcohol use disorder. Researchers identified about 8,100 patients with opioid use disorder and 5,600 patients with alcohol use disorder who were prescribed these medications. These medicines work by mimicking a hormone produced in the gut, which releases insulin and promotes feelings of satiety after eating.

To come

Although this study provides valuable insights based on the large data set dating back to 2014, it is important to acknowledge the limitations of this study. The researchers cannot definitively rule out other factors contributing to the observed effects without a controlled study. Despite these limitations, such studies provide a vital basis for further research in this area.

Dr. Lorenzo Leggio, a physician scientist at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), highlights the strong preclinical research that shows the potential of these drugs in reducing substance use. His team’s work has shown that semaglutide can reduce binge-like alcohol consumption in rodents. However, he emphasizes that double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings in humans. Several such studies are currently underway in the US and Europe, investigating the potential of semaglutide for the treatment of alcohol-related disorders.