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 GLP-1s 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 GLP-1s are effective at reducing both overeating and alcohol use. For this reason, medications like GLP-1s are already in use to treat patients with diabetes and obesity.

Earlier studies showed that medications like GLP-1s can reduce the pleasure from alcohol and lead to lower consumption. GLP-1s are 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 GLP-1s 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 GLP-1s 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 GLP-1s. Speak to one of our physicians to see if GLP-1s are right for you.