For the first time, scientists have shown that tirzepatide—the main ingredient in the diabetes and weight‑loss drug Mounjaro—can reduce alcohol intake and relapse‑like drinking behavior in laboratory animals.
The findings suggest that medications originally designed to control blood sugar and appetite might one day help treat alcohol use disorder, a condition that affects millions of people worldwide.
Alcohol use disorder is a serious medical condition in which a person struggles to control or stop drinking despite harmful consequences. It can damage the liver, heart, brain, and mental health, and it increases the risk of accidents and early death.
Current treatments are limited, and many people relapse after trying to quit. Because of this, researchers are searching for new ways to reduce cravings and prevent relapse.
The new study was conducted by researchers at the University of Gothenburg and published in the journal eBioMedicine.
Earlier work by the same team showed that semaglutide, the ingredient in drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, reduced alcohol consumption in rats. In this new research, scientists tested tirzepatide, a newer drug that works on two appetite‑related hormone systems instead of one.
In experiments with rats and mice, animals given tirzepatide drank less than half as much alcohol as untreated animals. The drug also reduced binge‑like drinking and prevented relapse‑like behavior. After a period without alcohol, animals that received tirzepatide did not return to heavy drinking. Instead, their alcohol intake stayed lower than before.
Researchers believe the drug affects the brain’s reward system, which plays a major role in addiction. Alcohol normally increases dopamine, a chemical that produces feelings of pleasure and reinforces drinking behavior.
The study found that tirzepatide reduced alcohol’s effect on dopamine levels. This may explain why the animals were less motivated to drink.
The scientists also identified a brain area called the lateral septum as a possible key site of action. This region is involved in motivation, reward, and relapse in both animals and humans. Changes in certain proteins linked to gene activity were also observed in this area, suggesting that the drug may influence how brain cells respond to alcohol over time.
Although these findings are promising, the researchers emphasize that tirzepatide is not yet a treatment for alcohol use disorder. The study was done in animals, and human studies are needed to determine whether the same effects occur in people.
However, because the drug is already approved for diabetes and has been widely used, it may be easier to study its potential new uses.
Experts say this research opens the door to exploring whether medications that affect appetite and metabolism could also help treat addiction. If future studies confirm these results, drugs like tirzepatide could become part of new strategies to reduce alcohol consumption and support recovery.
If you care about wellness, please read studies about how alcohol affects liver health and disease progression, and even one drink a day could still harm blood pressure health.
For more health information, please see 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.
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