Could Semaglutide Curb Alcohol Cravings?

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) affects almost 400 million people worldwide. Although counseling, groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, or prescription medications such as disulfiram help treat AUD, fewer than 10% with the disorder receive any treatment, and less than 2% take medications. Stay with us - it all ties together and affects bariatric and GLP-1 patients.

GLP-1 To Be Used for Weight Loss… and AUD?

That could change. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, has proven to be highly effective for weight loss. However, a study published in JAMA Psychiatry showed semaglutide may also be an effective treatment for AUD. Although the sample of the study published in JAMA was small (48 participants), the results were promising. 

Results of the Semaglutide Study on AUD

The participants all met the criteria for AUD (consuming seven or more alcoholic beverages per week for women, and fourteen for men), but were not actively seeking treatment. Over nine weeks, half of the participants received semaglutide injections and the other half received a placebo. Their drinking habits were monitored throughout the study. Participants taking semaglutide reported fewer alcohol cravings, drank less than they normally would on days they did drink, and had a reduced number of heavy drinking days (four or more drinks for women, five or more drinks for men).  

By the final month of treatment, 40% of the participants in the semaglutide group reported no heavy drinking days at all. The outcomes of this study were stronger than what is typically seen with some existing AUD medications. 

Now here’s where it gets more interesting: a small group of the participants also smoked cigarettes. These participants also reported reduced cravings, and therefore smoking fewer cigarettes in addition to drinking less while taking semaglutide. The reduced alcohol and cigarette cravings suggests that the effects of semaglutide extend beyond weight loss. 

Limitations of the Study

With less than 50 participants and lasting only nine weeks, this study is not thorough enough to consider semaglutide as a standard form of treatment for AUD. Follow up studies will need to include a much larger pool of participants, including those who are actively seeking treatment, and those with severe cases of AUD. However, with the promising initial results, it is possible that semaglutide may be a tool with a broader treatment scope beyond weight loss. 

Does This Sound Familiar?

Another study published in 2024 looked at the medical records of over 600,000 patients in the U.S. under treatment for obesity or type 2 diabetes. They found that semaglutide was associated with roughly a 50% lower risk of developing alcohol use disorder, and a significantly lower risk of relapse in those who already had a history of the disorder. The results were consistent across genders, age groups, and racial groups.

However, since this study was observational, and not conducted as a controlled experiment, definitive conclusions can’t be drawn as to whether or not semaglutide should be considered as a treatment for alcohol use disorder. Basically, the first study needs to be repeated with the amount of participants as the study from 2024 in order to draw accurate conclusions.

What this Means for Bariatric and GLP-1 Patients

For bariatric and GLP-1 patients, these findings may sound especially familiar. Many people taking GLP-1 medications already report feeling less interested not only in food, but also dealing with less “food noise” and less overall impulse-driven behavior.

To learn more about surgical procedures and nonsurgical options for weight loss, schedule a consultation with Dr. Korman today.