These are hormone-like GLP-1 analogues found in drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro. Several studies have linked their use to reduced cravings for alcohol, among other things. A large American study concluded that they can also reduce the abuse of drugs such as cannabis and cocaine.
"It's very hopeful. If it turns out to be true, it can hopefully reduce the stigma surrounding addiction treatment," says Joar Guterstam, researcher and senior physician at the Addiction Center Stockholm.
American data
The results, published in the journal BMJ, are based on data from 606,434 US veterans with type 2 diabetes. The analysis compares people treated with GLP-1 analogues with those given another type of diabetes drug - SGLT2 inhibitors.
In a group of veterans without a history of addiction, treatment with GLP-1 drugs was linked to a 14 percent reduced risk of developing problems with alcohol or various drugs compared to those who received SGLT2 inhibitors.
Among veterans with a known addiction, GLP-1 treatment was linked to fewer drug-related emergency room visits, deaths, and overdoses, among other things.
The fact that GLP-1 analogues seem to have this effect may be because they suppress the rewarding effects of alcohol and drugs in the same way that they suppress appetite.
"The study is interesting because it also shows an effect on things other than alcohol," says Joar Guterstam.
Studies in progress
He is clear that before this type of drug can be used to treat addiction, randomized controlled trials are required. But several such studies are underway.
"There is enormous commercial interest in these substances now, and within a year or two we will have more information and know if they work," he says.
There are currently approved medications for the treatment of alcohol dependence, but they are used relatively little. If GLP-1 analogues prove to be effective, Joar Guterstam believes they could become more widely used.
"For someone who wants to reduce their drinking, there may be less resistance to going to the health center and getting a medication that everyone is familiar with, rather than getting special alcohol medications that are mainly prescribed in addiction care," he says.
