New research presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) and published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism suggests that two popular weight-loss drugs, liraglutide and semaglutide, may also help people cut down on their alcohol consumption.
The study found that individuals who took these medications reduced their alcohol intake by nearly two-thirds within just four months of starting treatment. This unexpected benefit points to a potential new way to support people struggling with alcohol use disorder.
Alcohol use disorder is a serious health condition that leads to 2.6 million deaths each year, accounting for 4.7% of all deaths worldwide.
Treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational therapies, and certain medications can be effective in the short term, but around 70% of people relapse within the first year. Finding new and effective ways to support people in reducing alcohol intake is crucial, and this new study provides a glimpse of hope.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogs like liraglutide and semaglutide are drugs primarily developed to help people lose weight. They work by mimicking a hormone that reduces appetite and increases feelings of fullness. In animal studies, these medications have also been shown to reduce alcohol consumption, but data on human subjects had been limited—until now.
To explore this further, Professor Carel le Roux from University College Dublin and his colleagues in Ireland and Saudi Arabia conducted a real-world study at an obesity clinic in Dublin.
The study involved 262 adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or higher. Most participants were women (79%), with an average age of 46 and an average weight of 98 kg (15 stone 6 lbs).
Before starting the GLP-1 treatment, participants were asked about their drinking habits. They were then divided into three groups: non-drinkers (11.8%), rare drinkers (less than 10 units per week, 19.8%), and regular drinkers (more than 10 units per week, 68.4%).
A total of 188 of the original 262 participants were followed for an average of four months. Remarkably, none of them increased their alcohol consumption during the study. In fact, their drinking dropped significantly. On average, alcohol intake fell from 11.3 units per week to 4.3 units per week—a reduction of almost two-thirds.
The effect was even more dramatic among regular drinkers. Their average intake plummeted from 23.2 units per week to just 7.8 units per week—a 68% decrease. To put that into perspective, this reduction is similar to what is achieved with nalmefene, a drug specifically used to treat alcohol use disorder in Europe.
Professor le Roux noted that the exact reason why GLP-1 analogs reduce alcohol consumption is still being studied. However, researchers believe it may be linked to changes in how the brain handles cravings.
GLP-1 analogs seem to impact subcortical areas of the brain that control cravings for alcohol, areas that are not easily influenced by conscious thought. Because of this, many participants in the study reported that cutting back on alcohol felt “effortless,” as if the cravings simply faded away.
While the results are promising, Professor le Roux acknowledged some limitations of the study. The research involved a relatively small number of participants, relied on self-reported alcohol intake, and did not include a control group for comparison.
Despite these limitations, the study’s real-world setting adds weight to the findings, suggesting that the results are realistic and applicable outside of a lab environment.
Professor le Roux concluded that while GLP-1 analogs are well-known for their success in treating obesity and lowering the risk of complications related to excess weight, their ability to also reduce alcohol intake opens up new possibilities.
Researchers are now exploring how these drugs might be used as part of a broader strategy to combat alcohol use disorder, potentially offering a new option for those who struggle with alcohol cravings and relapse.
This unexpected benefit of liraglutide and semaglutide could represent a new frontier in addiction treatment, adding to the list of health improvements linked to these medications. Further studies will help clarify how these drugs can be used effectively, but the initial findings are a promising step towards a dual solution for both obesity and alcohol use.
If you care about alcoholism, please read studies that your age may decide whether alcohol is good or bad for you, and people over 40 need to prevent dangerous alcohol/drug interactions.
For more information about alcohol, please see recent studies about moderate alcohol drinking linked to high blood pressure, and results showing this drug combo shows promise for treating alcoholism.
The research findings can be found in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
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