A new study has revealed that people who consume Ozempic or similar medications to treat diabetic/weight-related conditions are less likely to opioid overdose and alcohol abuse.
According to the study, the medications interact with a region of the brain – the mesolimbic system – to reduce appetite and trigger satisfaction after eating. The researchers maintain that this system also overlaps with the brain processes that govern addictive behaviors.
This connection suggests that GLP-1 RAs and similar medications might also alter the reward-response pathways associated with substance use, the study found.
According to the researchers, medications with glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) agonists like the weight-loss medication Mounjaro can also play a significant role.
Until now, most of the existing research into using GLP-1 RAs and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) to treat substance use disorders consists of animal studies and small-scale clinical trials.
“This new large-scale human study looked at 503,747 people with a history of opioid use disorder (OUD), of which 8,103 had a prescription for a GLP-1 RA or GIP. The study found that people with OUD who had a GLP-1 RA or GIP prescription had a 40% lower rate of opioid overdose compared with those who did not have a prescription,” News Medical stated.
According to the report, the study also looked at 817,309 people with a history of alcohol use disorder (AUD), of which 5,621 had a prescription for a GLP-1 RA or GIP.
Moreover, the study found that people with AUD who had a GLP-1 RA or GIP prescription had a 50% lower rate of alcohol intoxication compared with those who did not have a prescription.
This study may introduce a promising new treatment for substance use disorders, the researchers maintain. The findings of the study were published in the Addiction journal.