Weight loss drugs may cut alcohol intake by almost two-thirds: Study

Medications such as liraglutide or semaglutide taken for weight loss also have the potential to reduce alcohol consumption by almost twothirds according to new researchAlcohol use disorder is a relapsing condition that accounts for 26 million deaths a year 47 per cent of all deaths globallyTreatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy CBT therapies that aim to strengthen motivation to stop or reduce drinking and medication can be very successful in the short term however 70 per cent of patients relapse within the first yearThe study showed that Glucagonlike peptide1 GLP1 analogues drugs developed to treat obesity likely curb alcohol cravings in the brainAverage alcohol intake decreased from 113 unitsweek to 43 unitsweek after four months of treatment with the GLP1 analogues a reduction of almost twothirdsAmong the regular alcohol drinkers intake decreased from 232 unitsweek to 78 unitsweek in four monthsThis reduction of 68 per cent is comparable to that achieved by nalmefene a drug used to treat alcohol use disorder in Europe said Professor Carel le Roux of University College Dublin IrelandThe exact mechanism of how GLP1 analogues reduce alcohol intake is still being investigated but it is thought to involve curbing cravings for alcohol that arise in subcortical areas of the brain that are not under conscious control Thus patients report the effects are effortless Roux saidThe study published in the journal Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism was also presented at the European Congress on Obesity ECO 2025GLP1 analogues have reduced alcohol intake in animal studies but research on their effect in humans is lessTo find out more the team prospectively collected data on the alcohol intake of patients who were being treated for obesity at a clinic in DublinThe realworld study involved 262 adults with a BMI more than 27 kilograms per square metre kgm2 79 per cent female average age 46 years average weight 98kg who were prescribed the GLP1 analogs liraglutide or semaglutide for weight lossA total of 188 of the 262 patients were followed up for an average of four months None of them had increased their alcohol intakeGLP1 analogues have been shown to treat obesity and reduce the risk of multiple obesityrelated complications Now the beneficial effects beyond obesity such as on alcohol intake are being actively studied with some promising results Roux saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoeveratOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params