Semaglutide’s Effect On Alcohol Consumption

Scientists from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Scripps Research Institute have discovered that semaglutide can lower alcohol consumption and binge drinking in a rodent study. This research was published in JCI Insight in June 2023. It adds to the evidence that a hormone called GLP-1, which affects how the body manages hunger, may also play a role in alcohol and substance use disorders.

GLP-1 is a gut hormone that helps control blood sugar and makes you feel full after eating. The parts of the brain that control eating are linked to the parts that drive substance use, including alcohol. This connection might explain why semaglutide is effective at reducing both overeating and alcohol use. For this reason, medications like semaglutide, which mimic GLP-1’s effects, are already in use to treat patients with diabetes and obesity.

Earlier studies showed that medications like semaglutide can reduce the pleasure from alcohol and lead to lower consumption. Semaglutide is particularly promising because it is stronger, lasts longer, and has a higher impact on the body than similar medications.

In their most recent study, researchers found that semaglutide reduced binge drinking in both male and female mice. They also tested it on alcohol-dependent rats, with similar results. The team believes that these findings support further testing of semaglutide in clinical trials for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Many of our patients here at Regenics report feeling a significantly decreased urge to drink alcohol while taking semaglutide. Speak to one of our physicians to see if semaglutide is right for you.