GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, were originally intended to treat diabetes — and didn’t become blockbuster prescriptions until doctors realized that they were also potent weight loss aids that seem to re-wire patients’ relationship to food and satiety.
Since then, it’s slowly been emerging that they have another surprising effect: many users report less of a desire to throw back as many drinks as they did before starting the injections.
It’s generally established that GLP-1s target the brain’s dopamine reward system, but scientists are still working to understand the exact mechanism.
GLP-1s are known to slow gastric emptying of the stomach, which could likely result in alcohol reaching the bloodstream more slowly.
So if GLP-1s slow alcohol entering the bloodstream, they could reduce the effects of alcohol and help people drink less.”
GLP-1 medications, such as semaglutide, the active component of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, were first developed to treat diabetes. It wasn’t until doctors discovered that they were also effective weight loss tools that appeared to change patients’ perceptions of food and fullness that they became popular prescriptions.
The fact that they have another unexpected effect has gradually come to light since then: many users report feeling less of a desire to throw back as many drinks as they did prior to beginning the injections. In fact, there is encouraging evidence from a number of small studies that the drugs do reduce cravings for alcohol, cigarettes, and even opioids, which suggests that they may also be useful in treating a variety of addiction disorders.
But the exact reason is still unclear. Although the precise mechanism by which GLP-1s affect the brain’s dopamine reward system is still unknown, it is widely accepted that they do.
The fact that drugs alter other bodily processes that may interact intricately with substance use further complicates matters. Consider a recent study by Virginia Tech researchers that was published this week in the journal Scientific Reports. The study discovered that GLP-1s seem to physically alter how our bodies metabolize alcohol.
During the course of an hour, participants in the study consumed three alcoholic beverages while researchers monitored their blood alcohol, blood sugar, and vital signs. The participants on GLP-1s reported feeling less intoxicated overall than non-users, and their blood alcohol levels showed this: the buzz was delayed and less pronounced.
One can easily imagine why. Because GLP-1s are known to slow the stomach’s gastric emptying, alcohol may enter the bloodstream more slowly. The fact that an injection like semaglutide may be altering both the neurological reward linked to alcohol and the way your stomach and gut process a drink, however, further demonstrates the complexity of these drugs’ effects on our bodies and minds.
A more clear picture is gradually emerging, though it is difficult to say exactly how the most recent discovery will impact physicians’ comprehension of GLP-1 as a tool to combat addiction. The test group was small, consisting of only 20 subjects, so more research is required.
As stated in a summary of the study, “Why would this matter? Faster-acting drugs have a higher abuse potential,” explained Virginia Tech neuroscientist Alex DiFeliceantonio. The way they affect the brain is different. GLP-1s may therefore lessen the effects of alcohol and encourage people to drink less if they slow its entry into the bloodstream. “”.
