Popular Weight Loss Drugs Like Ozempic May Also Help Treat Addiction, Early Research Suggests

Medications commonly used for weight loss and diabetes may soon play a role in treating addiction, according to growing scientific evidence.

Drugs known as GLP-1 medications — including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound — are already widely used by millions of Americans to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes. These medications work by mimicking a hormone that helps regulate appetite, digestion and insulin levels.

Researchers now believe the drugs may also influence reward systems in the brain, which could help reduce cravings associated with substance use disorders.

Scientists studying the medications say the early research is promising, though more large-scale clinical trials are still needed to confirm the results.

One recent study analyzed medical records from more than 600,000 patients within the US Department of Veterans Affairs health system. Researchers found that people taking GLP-1 drugs were less likely to develop substance use disorders related to alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, nicotine or opioids compared with patients using other diabetes medications.

The study also suggested the medications may reduce risks for people who already struggle with addiction. Researchers observed a significant drop in severe outcomes such as hospitalizations and drug overdoses among patients using the drugs.

However, experts caution that observational studies like this cannot fully prove cause and effect. Patients who start GLP-1 medications may also be more engaged in their health care or motivated to change behaviors, which could influence the results.

Several clinical trials are now underway to study whether drugs like semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic — can help treat alcohol use disorder and other forms of addiction.

Scientists say the results of those trials could provide clearer answers within the next year.

While the findings offer hope for new treatment options, researchers stress that more evidence is needed before GLP-1 drugs could be widely prescribed specifically for addiction.

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