A recent study conducted in Sweden found that GLP-1 agonists such as Ozempic and Wegovy may help reduce alcohol consumption and related harms in individuals diagnosed with alcohol use disorder.
Here are three key findings:
- The study, published Nov. 13 in Jama Psychiatry, analyzed real-world data from Swedish national registries, including a cohort of 227,886 individuals diagnosed with alcohol use disorder between 2006 and 2021.
- Researchers found that use of GLP-1 agonists was linked to a reduced risk of hospitalization due to alcohol-related events. Specifically, individuals using GLP-1 medications such as semaglutide and liraglutide showed a lower likelihood of being hospitalized for alcohol use disorder compared to those not on the medications.
Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy, while liraglutide is the active ingredient in the drugmaker's Saxenda and Victoza. - The findings build on previous research that demonstrated GLP-1 receptor agonists, approved for the treatment of diabetes and obesity, could reduce alcohol intake in both animal studies and human case reports.