Weight loss drug semaglutide may reduce alcohol cravings, heavy drinking and smoking, new study finds

Semaglutide, a medication widely used for diabetes and weight loss, may offer another unexpected benefit — it could help people drink less alcohol.

A study published in JAMA Psychiatry enrolled 48 adults between ages 21 and 65 who had been diagnosed with alcohol use disorder but were not actively seeking treatment.

Half received semaglutide, a type of GLP-1 receptor agonist, while the other half received no treatment. Over the nine-week trial, participants taking semaglutide started at a dose of 0. 25 mg per week, which gradually increased to 1. 0 mg in the final week — a much lower dose than what’s typically prescribed for weight loss.

” We found the largest effects for outcomes related to drinking quantity or heavy drinking…[semaglutide] appeared to reduce drinking quantity, ” said Christian Hendershot, PhD,  the study’s lead author and director of clinical research at the USC Institute for Addiction Science, in an interview with ABC News.

In a controlled lab setting, participants taking semaglutide drank less alcohol. However, outside the lab, their overall drinking days and daily alcohol intake did not change significantly. They did, however, report fewer binge-drinking episodes and reduced alcohol cravings.

Hendershot emphasized that the participants were not actively trying to cut back on drinking or become abstinent, making the drug’s impact particularly interesting.

” The reason why semaglutide may have an effect on addictive behaviors and cravings and may play a role in treating alcohol use disorder is still not entirely clear, ” said Dr. Stephanie Widmer, an emergency medicine physician and addiction medicine expert. ” More research needs to be done in order to really get a firm grasp on what the pathophysiology is behind this, ” she added.