Scientists say Semaglutide could do more than help you lose weight – it may also reduce drinking
New Delhi: What if the same weekly injection that has transformed obesity treatment could also help silence the urge for another drink? That question is no longer hypothetical. Scientists are increasingly investigating whether semaglutide which is known as the blockbuster GLP-1 drug sold under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy, can do more than regulate blood sugar and promote weight loss.
Early clinical trials now suggest it may also reduce alcohol cravings, heavy drinking episodes and even cigarette consumption, opening the door to a completely new approach for treating Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). While experts caution that the evidence is still preliminary, the findings have sparked global excitement because current treatments for alcohol addiction remain limited and often fail to work for many patients.
Semaglutide now being tested to help people drink less
Semaglutide belongs to a class of medicines known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes before becoming widely used for obesity management. These drugs mimic a naturally occurring gut hormone that helps regulate appetite, slows stomach emptying and improves insulin secretion.
Over the past few years, however, doctors began noticing an unexpected pattern among patients taking semaglutide. Alongside losing weight, many reported reduced interest in alcohol, fewer cravings and less compulsive drinking. Those anecdotal observations prompted researchers to investigate whether the drug was influencing the brain’s reward pathways – not just appetite.
What the clinical trial found
The strongest evidence so far comes from a Phase II randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2025.
Researchers enrolled 48 adults with Alcohol Use Disorder who were not actively seeking treatment. Participants received either weekly low-dose semaglutide injections or a placebo for nine weeks while undergoing regular assessments of their drinking habits and cravings.
The results were encouraging.
Compared with the placebo group, people taking semaglutide:
- Drank significantly less alcohol during laboratory drinking sessions.
- Reported lower alcohol cravings.
- Experienced reductions in several measures of heavy drinking.
- Among participants who also smoked cigarettes, researchers observed a greater decline in cigarettes smoked per day.
Researchers stressed that although the trial was relatively small and short-term, it provides the first prospective randomized evidence that semaglutide could play a role in reducing problematic alcohol use. Larger studies are now needed before the drug can be recommended for this purpose.
Why could a weight-loss drug affect alcohol cravings
Scientists believe the answer lies in the brain.
GLP-1 receptors are found not only in the digestive system but also in brain regions involved in reward, motivation and addiction. These areas help regulate dopamine – the neurotransmitter heavily involved in reinforcing pleasurable behaviours such as eating, drinking alcohol and using addictive substances.
Researchers think semaglutide may reduce the rewarding effects of alcohol, making people feel less compelled to continue drinking after their first drink. This mechanism differs from existing alcohol-dependence medications and could represent an entirely new therapeutic strategy.
Growing evidence beyond one trial
The latest trial isn’t the only evidence pointing in this direction.
Large observational studies involving electronic health records have found that people prescribed GLP-1 receptor agonists were associated with lower risks of developing or relapsing into Alcohol Use Disorder compared with patients taking some other diabetes medications. While these studies cannot prove cause and effect, they strengthen the case for conducting larger randomized trials.
Researchers are also conducting multiple ongoing clinical trials in the United States and Europe to determine whether semaglutide can safely treat moderate-to-severe Alcohol Use Disorder, including studies involving veterans and patients with obesity.
Why this matters
Alcohol Use Disorder affects hundreds of millions of people globally, yet treatment options remain limited.
Currently approved medications, including naltrexone, acamprosate and disulfiram can help some individuals, but effectiveness varies widely, and many patients either discontinue treatment or fail to respond adequately.
If larger studies confirm semaglutide’s benefits, it could become one of the most significant advances in addiction medicine in decades, particularly because the medication is already well known to physicians and widely prescribed for diabetes and obesity.
Scientists urge caution
Despite the enthusiasm, researchers emphasise that semaglutide is not yet an approved treatment for alcohol addiction.
The completed trial involved only 48 participants over nine weeks, meaning much larger studies are needed to determine:
- whether the benefits persist long term,
- which patients are most likely to respond,
- the optimal dosage,
- and whether the medication works best alongside behavioural therapy or counselling.
Like any medication, semaglutide also carries potential side effects, most commonly nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and reduced appetite. Rare but serious adverse effects have also been reported in some patients using GLP-1 medicines for approved indications.
Although the research remains in its early stages, the first randomized clinical trial has provided promising evidence that weekly semaglutide injections can reduce alcohol cravings and heavy drinking in adults with Alcohol Use Disorder. Combined with growing observational data and multiple ongoing clinical trials, the findings suggest that drugs originally designed to control blood sugar may eventually become valuable tools in tackling one of the world’s most challenging addictions.