New Study Suggests Obesity Drugs Could Curb Alcohol Cravings

Feb. 13, 2025 ~ A new study suggests that weight-loss drugs like Ozempic can possibly help people manage alcohol addiction.

The study, published on Feb. 12 in JAMA Psychiatry, found that participants had reduced cravings for alcoholic beverages. Dr. Asha Shajahan, Corewell Health Family Medicine physician, told WJR, “This drug stimulates insulin secretion, so after you’re eating, it promotes that feeling of fullness, helps regulate your sugar, and it reduces hunger cravings. Traditionally, this drug is used for people who have diabetes or who are struggling with weight, (but) what they’re finding is that as people are using this drug, parts of the brain that drive the eating behaviors overlap extensively with the drive to use alcohol or other substances.“