Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs could help treat alcohol and drug addiction, study says

The case that Ozempic (NVO) and other GLP-1 drugs could help people with substance use disorders is getting stronger.

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 prescription for GLP-1 had a 40% lower rate of opioid overdose compared to those without a prescription .

Also, people with alcohol use disorder with a GLP-1 prescription had 50% fewer cases of alcohol poisoning compared to those without a prescription.

Loyola University Chicago researchers made the findings by analyzing the medical records of more than 500,000 patients with substance use disorders.

GLP-1s are a class of diabetes and obesity drugs that mimic a hormone that interacts with a region of the brain, the mesolimbic system, to reduce hunger and induce satiety after eating. Demand for these drugs has turned Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly ( LLY ), the maker of Mounjaro and Zepbound (both GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss), into pharmaceutical companies largest in the world.

Ozempic and prescription weight loss drugs: how they work, how much they cost, side effects and everything you need to know

In addition, the mesolimbic system overlaps with brain processes that influence addictive behaviors. This overlap suggests that these drugs may “modulate reward response pathways associated with substance use,” the study authors wrote.

The study follows other anecdotal evidence from patients and health care providers suggesting that GLP-1 drugs can help users curb addictions.

A Morgan Stanley ( MS ) survey earlier this year found that people using GLP-1 drugs, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound, reduced their tobacco use.

The investment bank surveyed approximately 300 GLP-1 users about their consumption habits while taking the drug.

Although 40% of respondents said they smoked cigarettes at least one week before starting GLP-1 treatment, this number dropped to 24% after starting treatment. Meanwhile, weekly e-cigarette use dropped from 30% of respondents to 16% after starting to take a GLP-1.

The analysts noted that they were “cautious about drawing conclusions” from their survey about the impact of GLP-1 drugs on addictive behaviors. Although research has yet to prove a causal link, clinical trials are currently underway to better understand the effects of GLP-1 on alcohol and tobacco use.

A small trial found that people with alcohol use disorders drank less after taking semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, compared to people who took a placebo.

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.