New research suggests that Wegovy, the popular semaglutide-based weight-loss medication, may also help reduce alcohol consumption among people with alcohol use disorder (AUD). In a first-of-its-kind randomized controlled trial conducted in Denmark, adults with both obesity and AUD who received weekly semaglutide injections reported significantly fewer heavy drinking days compared with participants receiving a placebo.
The six-month study followed more than 100 participants who were actively seeking treatment for problematic drinking. Researchers found that patients taking semaglutide reduced heavy drinking days from an average of 17 days per month to roughly five. Those in the placebo group also improved, but only reduced heavy drinking days to around nine per month. Participants receiving semaglutide additionally reported lower alcohol cravings and reduced overall alcohol intake.
Experts say the findings could have major implications for addiction medicine, particularly because current FDA-approved medications for alcohol use disorder have limited adoption and mixed effectiveness. Researchers believe GLP-1 medications such as Wegovy and Ozempic may influence the brain’s reward system, reducing cravings linked to both food and alcohol.
While larger studies are still needed, the research adds to growing evidence that GLP-1 therapies may extend beyond weight management and diabetes care into behavioral health and addiction treatment. The study was published in The Lancet and highlights a potentially important new pathway for addressing alcohol dependence.
For the full article: https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/wegovy-shot-reduces-drinking-in-study-of-volunteers-8781826/