Medications from the GLP-1 class, which are actually used to treat diabetes and obesity, can significantly reduce alcohol consumption in people with alcohol addiction and overweight. This is shown by a clinical study conducted by researchers led by Anders Fink-Jensen from Copenhagen University Hospital and published in the journal “The Lancet”.
In the randomized, placebo-controlled study, 108 participants with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and obesity received a weekly injection of semaglutide or a placebo for 26 weeks. All participants also took part in cognitive behavioral therapy.
The group that received semaglutide recorded a significantly greater reduction in days with heavy alcohol consumption, total monthly drinking amount, drinking amount per drinking day, and alcohol craving. Biomarkers for alcohol consumption and liver damage also improved more significantly. In addition, there was greater weight loss.
The most common side effects were temporary mild to moderate gastrointestinal complaints such as nausea or constipation, which occurred more frequently in the semaglutide group.
The study authors see the results as an indication that GLP-1 receptor agonists could be a promising addition to the treatment of alcohol addiction. NIH experts George Koob and Nora Volkow evaluated the findings as encouraging, but emphasized that further studies, also in patients without obesity, are necessary.
