Ozempic, Wegovy may help in the treatment of alcohol dependence: results of 3 studies

A recent study conducted in Sweden found that GLP-1 agonists such as Ozempic and Wegovy may help reduce alcohol consumption and associated harm in individuals diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder.

Here are three key takeaways:

1. The study, published on November 13 in Jama Psychiatryanalyzed real-world data from Swedish national registries, including a cohort of 227,886 individuals diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder between 2006 and 2021.
2. The researchers found that the use of GLP-1 agonists was associated with a reduced risk of hospitalization for alcohol-related events. Specifically, individuals who took GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide and liraglutide were less likely to be hospitalized for alcohol-related disorders compared to those who did not take the medication.
   Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy from Novo Nordisk, while liraglutide is the active ingredient in Saxenda and Victoza from the drug manufacturer.
3. The findings build on previous research showing that GLP-1 receptor agonists, approved for the treatment of diabetes and obesity, can reduce alcohol consumption in both animal studies and human case reports.