How Semaglutides May Help with Alcohol Consumption

How Semaglutides May Help with Alcohol Consumption

Table of Contents

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I. Understanding Semaglutides

II. What is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)?

III. Emerging Research: Semaglutides and Reduced Alcohol Intake

IV. Conclusion

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Semaglutides are making headlines for their effectiveness in treating type 2 diabetes and obesity. However, people taking semaglutides have also reported a noticeable decrease in alcohol cravings and consumption. New research shows that this may not be a placebo response and that semaglutides could interact with parts of the brain involved in alcohol addiction and abuse. ¹

In this article, we explore semaglutides in more detail, explain alcohol use disorder, and review emerging studies showing how semaglutides may help reduce alcohol intake. 

Understanding Semaglutides

Semaglutides belong to a group of medications that mimic the actions of GLP-1, a natural hormone released by the intestines following food consumption. This hormone plays a crucial role in regulating appetite and blood sugar levels. ² Semaglutides replicate these actions in order to:

• Increase insulin release and decrease glucagon release when blood sugar is elevated. This helps stabilize blood sugar levels.

• Slow down stomach emptying after meals. This promotes feelings of fullness which helps control portion sizes.

• Interact with appetite pathways in the brain to decrease hunger between meals. ²

There are currently three FDA-approved semaglutide formulations:

• Ozempic is an injectable semaglutide that is approved to control blood sugar levels and reduce cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes. ²

• Rybelsus is an oral semaglutide that is approved to control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. ³

• Wegovy is an injectable semaglutide that is used in weight management in people struggling with obesity or who are overweight with weight-related complications (such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes). ⁴

What is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)?

 

Alcohol is a widely used substance in the United States. Data from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that 84% of Americans aged 18 and older have consumed alcohol at some point in their lives. While some people can drink in moderation, others struggle with alcohol use disorder (AUD). ⁵

AUD is a brain disorder that impairs an individual's ability to stop or control their alcohol use despite facing negative consequences in their health, job, or social life. People with AUD experience intense alcohol cravings, which drive overconsumption. This leads to their alcohol tolerance increasing over time. They may also experience withdrawal symptoms when they don't have access to alcohol. ⁵

Alcohol causes the release of dopamine in the brain's reward pathway. It also affects other reward systems involving opioids, serotonin, and glutamate. This reinforces continued drinking. However, not everyone who consumes alcohol will progress to addiction. This indicates factors beyond alcohol exposure contribute to the development of AUD, though the precise causes remain unclear. ⁵

Despite the many unknowns surrounding AUD, experts do agree on one thing: alcohol can have a devastating impact on the body. ⁶ Heavy drinking can cause damage to various body systems:

• Brain: Alcohol disrupts communication pathways and can alter the brain's structure and function. This leads to mood and behavioral disruptions.

• Heart: Long-term heavy drinking or binge drinking damages the heart. It can cause issues like cardiomyopathy (stretching of heart muscle), irregular heartbeat, stroke, and high blood pressure.

• Liver: Heavy alcohol use strains the liver, leading to fatty liver, hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis.

• Pancreas: Alcohol causes the pancreas to make toxic substances, resulting in a condition known as pancreatitis where the pancreas is swollen and inflamed.

• Immune System: Excessive drinking weakens the immune system, making the body more susceptible to pneumonia, tuberculosis, and other diseases. ⁶

Emerging Research: Semaglutides and Reduced Alcohol Intake

While semaglutide is already considered a breakthrough for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity, a recent review in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry looked at its potential for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD). ⁷

The results are promising. In the study, six patients taking semaglutide doses ranging from 0.25 mg to 0.5 mg for weight loss also experienced significant improvements in their AUD symptoms. ⁷ Moreover, experiments conducted on rats revealed that semaglutide not only decreased alcohol intake but also hindered relapse-like drinking behaviors. ⁸

But how can a diabetes drug treat alcohol addiction?

Researchers have two theories:

• Semaglutide may reduce the alcohol-induced reward response in the brain.
• Semaglutide may lower alcohol's ability to increase dopamine levels. ⁹

While larger human studies are still needed to fully understand the impact of semaglutides on alcohol addiction, this research is an important step in exploring new treatments for AUD. Currently, there are only three FDA-approved medications for AUD:

• Naltrexone
• Acamprosate
• Disulfiram ⁶

These medications are either used alone or combined with behavioral treatments. Semaglutides provide a potential addition to the treatment used for AUD, and the current research has experts saying that it’s a promising possibility.

Conclusion

While semaglutide shows early promise as a potential treatment for alcohol use disorder, more research is still needed before its effectiveness can be determined. The studies on semaglutide and AUD so far have been limited in scale and duration. Larger, longer-term trials are required to truly understand if semaglutide can help patients achieve and maintain long-term sobriety. Additionally, more research is needed to identify which patients may benefit most from semaglutide treatment.

In the meantime, if you are struggling with alcohol use disorder, it’s crucial to have an open and honest discussion with your doctor about all available treatments. Together, you can determine if semaglutide is an appropriate option to try based on your medical history and needs. However, it's important to have realistic expectations about semaglutide's unproven benefits for AUD at this early stage.