The basicsDrugs like Ozempic, Wegovy (semaglutide), Saxenda (liraglutide), and Byetta (exenatide) are best known for helping people lose weight and control blood sugar. These medicines work by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which affects appetite and digestion.
In the last few years, scientists have started asking a surprising question:

Could GLP-1 drugs also help people cut back on alcohol?

So far, the idea is still experimental—no GLP-1 drug is approved to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD). But the early evidence is interesting.

What human studies show

1. Exenatide study (2022)

• In a clinical trial, exenatide didn’t reduce heavy drinking days in the overall group.
• But brain scans showed it lowered the brain’s response to alcohol cues, and people with obesity in the study drank less than similar people on placebo.
• Read the study (JCI Insight, 2022)

2. Semaglutide study (2025)

• A small trial found that low-dose semaglutide reduced the amount of alcohol people drank on drinking days and lowered cravings.
• Many participants weren’t trying to quit—so the results suggest the drug might reduce drinking without strict abstinence goals.
• Read the study (JAMA Psychiatry, 2025)

3. Large population data

• A 2024 study in Nature Communications found people taking semaglutide had lower rates of alcohol-related problems than those not on the drug.
• A Swedish registry study also found reduced alcohol-related hospital visits in people taking semaglutide or liraglutide.
• (These studies can’t prove cause and effect, but they support the possibility that GLP-1 drugs influence alcohol use.)

How it might workGLP-1 receptors aren’t just in the gut—they’re also in the brain’s reward circuits, including areas that respond to alcohol and other addictive substances.

Animal studies show GLP-1 drugs can:

• Reduce alcohol-drinking behavior
• Lower dopamine surges caused by alcohol
• Decrease the urge to relapse after a break from drinking

This brain effect may explain why some people report less interest in alcohol after starting these medications.

What’s the catch?

• Not FDA-approved for AUD: If prescribed for this purpose, it’s considered off-label.
• Mixed results: Not every study shows a benefit, and it may work better for some groups—like people with obesity—than others.
• Side effects: Nausea, vomiting, and other digestive issues are common, especially at the start. Rare risks include gallbladder problems and pancreatitis.
• Unknown best dose: The alcohol studies used lower doses than weight-loss regimens, but there’s no official guidance yet.

Should people try it for alcohol problems?

If you’re struggling with alcohol, GLP-1 drugs are not a replacement for proven treatments like counseling, support groups, or FDA-approved medications (naltrexone, acamprosate, disulfiram).
But if you’re already taking a GLP-1 drug for another reason—or if other treatments haven’t worked—your doctor might consider it as part of a broader care plan. It’s important to do this with medical supervision.
The bottom line:

Early research suggests GLP-1 drugs could help some people drink less by dampening the brain’s reward response to alcohol. The evidence is promising, but still early—more and bigger studies are on the way.

For now, it’s an intriguing “side effect” that could one day become a new treatment option for alcohol use disorder.