Ozempic could be used to treat alcohol and drug addiction, according to the study

In a new statistical analysis, researchers have found evidence that drugs like Ozempic can help curb alcohol and opioid addiction.

Published in the magazine addictionthis new study saw Loyola University Chicago researchers examine more than 1.3 million health records to see how those who had received glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) they went when it came to substance abuse.

Among those registries, the Loyola researchers looked at more than 8,000 people diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD) and more than 5,600 with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who had been prescribed a GLP-1 such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic or Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro.

Looking at nearly a decade of health outcomes for these cohorts, the study found that the drugs can not only mimic the feeling of satiety in the gut, but also curb cravings for things other than food, which appears to have strange health benefits.

The medical experts behind the study saw 50 percent lower poisoning rates among people diagnosed with AUD who were prescribed a GLP-1, and 40 percent lower overdose rates for to people with OUD who used injectable drugs to lose weight.

Although the study’s authors note that more direct research will be needed to further establish the link between GLP-1 and better outcomes for people struggling with addiction, they nevertheless think that this could be a starting point.

“Existing medications to treat substance use disorder are underutilized and stigmatized,” noted biostatistician Fares Qeadan, the study’s first author, in an interview with ABC. “These diabetes and weight loss medications can help addiction without the associated stigma, which will be a new window into how to treat addiction.”

News of these promising findings comes after a year of banner press for GLP-1s, which have surged in popularity as weight management tools. A growing number of studies have also investigated its so-called “off-label” uses, touting everything from smoking cessation to reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Of course, there will be a long road to FDA approval for Ozempic as a substance abuse treatment, but given the latest findings, it may only be a matter of time.

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