Could taking popular GLP-1 weight loss drugs help curb alcohol use? Well, researchers say they already are.
Taking semaglutide and liraglutide — a lesser-known active ingredient — medications for weight loss cut their consumption by nearly two-thirds in just four months.
The findings are good news in the fight against alcohol use disorder. Excessive drinking can harm the liver and other organs, in addition to increasing the risk of several types of cancer. In the U.S., approximately 178,000 people die from excessive alcohol use each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 20,000 people die from alcohol-related cancers.
“GLP-1 analogues have been shown treat obesity and reduce the risk of multiple obesity-related complications. Now, the beneficial effects beyond obesity, such as on alcohol intake, are being actively studied, with some promising results,” Carel le Roux, a professor at University College Dublin, said in a statement.
Le Roux is one of the co-author of the work, alongside colleagues in Ireland and Saudi Arabia. The research was published this month in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
To reach these conclusions, they examined more than 260 patients who were being treated for obesity at an Irish clinic. Of those, nearly 80 percent were women, 179 of whom drank alcohol regularly. Their average weight was over 200 pounds.
However, just 188 of patients were tracked for an average of four months. None of them increased their alcohol intake and their average alcohol decreased from 11.3 units a week to just 4.3 units. A bottle of wine contains 10 units.
Regular drinkers saw a reduction of 68 percent, which is comparable to a drug used to treat alcohol use disorder, the authors said.
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But, just how does it work? Well, more research needs to be done, but Le Roux said “it is thought to involve curbing cravings for alcohol that arise in subcortical areas of the brain that are not under conscious control. Thus, patients report the effects are ‘effortless.’”
The semaglutide drugs mimic a hormone that targets appetite regulating areas of the brain. Millions of Americans use the drugs, which other researchers have found may come with surprising health benefits. One recent study has found semaglutide treats liver disease in two-thirds of patients. A study released on Tuesday found oral treatments can mimic the metabolic effects of gastric bypass surgery.
“GLP-1 analogues have been shown treat obesity and reduce the risk of multiple obesity-related complications. Now, the beneficial effects beyond obesity, such as on alcohol intake, are being actively studied, with some promising results,” Le Roux said.
