Research suggests that medicines such as Ozempic and similar GLP-1 drugs could significantly reduce alcohol and opioid misuse, providing renewed hope in the fight against the American opioid crisis and adding to the growing array of applications for these best-selling drugs beyond obesity and diabetes management.
A study of over half a million people with a history of opioid addiction showed that the more than 8,000 participants who were independently prescribed GLP-1 drugs had a 40% reduction in opioid overdose rates compared to those not receiving such medication.
Furthermore, among the over 5,000 participants battling alcohol addiction and taking GLP-1 medicine, there was a 50% decrease in intoxication incidents in contrast to those not receiving a prescription.
Released in the Addiction journal, this investigation contributes to ongoing attempts to develop medicinal strategies to fight addiction. It enhances both understanding and optimism regarding the expanding capabilities of GLP-1s.
“Fares Qeadan, an associate biostatistics professor at Loyola University Chicago and key researcher for the paper, highlighted the significant preliminary evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide, correlated with decreased overdose and intoxication rates in patients with opioid and alcohol disorders. Despite these results, Qeadan admitted that randomised controlled trials are still required to determine a causal connection.
Matt Field, a psychology professor at Sheffield University, who was not part of the research, pointed out that the study examined “extreme substance intoxication cases” rather than if users stopped substance use completely— a factor often considered by researchers investigating addiction treatments. Field also noted that while Ozempic “may inhibit individuals from consuming substantial amounts of alcohol or heroin that lead to overdosing or hospitalisation, it may not necessarily aid them in reducing or completely abstaining from substance use.”
As the United States continues to grapple with an opioid epidemic linked to the excessive prescription of opioids in the 1990s and subsequent misuse of drugs such as fentanyl and heroin, a recent study has been unveiled. This research comes amidst a slight decline of 3.7 per cent in opioid-related deaths in the country, resulting in over 81,000 deaths in 2023.
The study highlights advances made in enhancing naloxone’s effectiveness, a commonly utilised remedy for overdoses, and evolution of non-opioid-based therapies for addiction management. According to researcher Qeadan, GLP-1s, stimulated by Ozempic to boost insulin production and decelerate food passage through the stomach, could potentially be a new alternative for addicts who do not adequately respond to current treatments.
The GLP-1s receptors that are key to managing cravings also inhabit the brain’s reward system. Ongoing clinical trials are assessing the influence of GLP-1s on addictions, ranging from nicotine to alcohol.
Nevertheless, the rising demand for GLP-1s, brought on by their efficacy, has caused a surge in supply shortages, particularly for popular drugs in the category such as Ozempic and Wegovy. The occurrence of side effects like vomiting and nausea usually deter many users from using them after a year.
In the meantime, Ozempic’s producer, Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical corporation, is conducting trials on a novel GLP-1 variant integrating semaglutide and cagrilintide in an attempt to address alcohol usage in liver disease patients. They are also exploring semaglutide’s potential effectiveness against degenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, signaling the wide-ranging prospective uses of the medicine as predicted by pharmaceutical manufacturers.
In addition to semaglutide, drugs used by participants in the latest study included Eli Lilly’s weight loss and diabetic remedy, tirzepatide, which is a key constituent in Mounjaro, and Novo Nordisk’s liraglutide, marketed under the brand labels Victoza and Saxenda for diabetes and obesity treatment.