Semaglutide, a drug for diabetes and weight loss, showed an unexpected effect in people with alcohol use disorder. In a study involving 50 people, it reduced the number of days with heavy drinking and the amount consumed per drinking episode.
But there is a nuance. Semaglutide did not suddenly make alcohol uninteresting or make participants simply stop drinking. The effect was more subtle: there were fewer heavy episodes, and along with that, cravings for alcohol in everyday life and related problems also decreased.
For some patients, this may turn out to be a more realistic outcome than complete abstinence. Researchers now need to find out whether the effect persists with longer treatment.
