Semaglutide is a medicine. It’s used to help people who have type 2 diabetes and people who are very overweight.
This medicine is sold under different names, like Ozempic.
Since it can help people lose weight, many people want to use it. So, sometimes it’s hard to find in stores.
Some people say that this medicine also makes them want to drink less alcohol.
How Do We Treat Alcohol Dependence Now?
Alcohol dependence is when a person has a hard time stopping their alcohol drinking. Right now, there are four approved medicines that can help people who depend on alcohol.
But since there are many reasons why a person might depend on alcohol, these medicines don’t work the same for everyone. So, scientists are always looking for more ways to help.
How Might Semaglutide Help with Alcohol Dependence?
Semaglutide is a medicine that people only need to take once a week. And now, it can be taken in a pill form. In a study, scientists gave this medicine to rats who liked to drink a lot of alcohol.
The results were amazing. The rats drank a lot less alcohol, and they were less likely to start drinking again after they stopped.
The rats who got this medicine drank half as much alcohol as the rats who didn’t. And it didn’t matter if the rats were boys or girls; they all drank less.
Will This Work in Humans, Too?
This study had very good results. But before this medicine can be used to help people with alcohol dependence, more studies need to be done.
These studies will be done with people and will take a long time. But if they work, this medicine could be a big help for people who are very overweight and also depend on alcohol.
The scientists think that this medicine will work for people, too. They say that other studies using the same methods have shown the same results in people and rats.
How Does Semaglutide Work?
The scientists also wanted to understand how this medicine helps to reduce alcohol drinking. It seems that this medicine changes how the brain rewards us.
When we drink alcohol, our brain gives us a reward by releasing a chemical called dopamine.
This makes us feel good. But this medicine seems to block that process in mice. So, the mice don’t feel as good when they drink alcohol. This might be why they drink less.
This study shows that semaglutide, a medicine for type 2 diabetes and obesity, might also help people who have problems with alcohol.
But more studies need to be done to make sure this works in people too. But if it does work, it could be a big help to many people. So, remember: scientists are always looking for new ways to help us stay healthy and happy.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes, and what you need to know about avocado and type 2 diabetes.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about How to eat to prevent type 2 diabetes and 5 vitamins that may prevent complications in diabetes.
The study was published in eBioMedicine.
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