The Drug Behind Ozempic And Wegovy Pills May Also Treat Alcohol Use Disorder, New Trial Finds

Jul 30, 2026 12:17 AM - 14 hours ago 1

Topline

A objective proceedings from the University of Colorado Anschutz recovered oral semaglutide, the medicine down Ozempic and Wegovy utilized to dainty glucosuria and weight loss, tin trim dense drinking successful adults pinch intoxicant usage disorder—a imaginable breakthrough for the condition, which has fewer medications approved to dainty it.

Alcohol usage upset is the technological word for alcoholism.

Photo illustration by Chris Furlong/Getty Images

Key Facts

A trial conducted by CU Anschutz recovered oral semaglutide reduced dense drinking days, lowered intoxicant depletion per occasion, lowered regular cravings and trim down alcohol-related problems successful 50 adults pinch moderate-to-severe intoxicant usage disorder, the technological word for alcoholism.

No caller medicine has been approved for intoxicant usage upset since 2006, making the CU Anschutz proceedings a important objective measurement for the information arsenic it remains chronically undertreated.

Semaglutide could thief patients who person exhausted existing options, according to Dr. Joseph Schnacht, who said the medicine “could correspond a caller curen action for intoxicant usage disorder, peculiarly for those who person not benefited from existing medications.”

Participants successful the study connected oral semaglutide besides utilized cannabis less, arsenic semaglutide was mostly well-tolerated pinch mostly mild broadside effects and precocious adherence.

What To Watch For

CU Anschutz and researchers astatine different institutions are readying larger, longer-term tests to corroborate the findings and found optimal dosing of semaglutide for intoxicant usage disorder.

Big Number

3. That is the number of medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the curen of intoxicant usage disorder, according to the University of Colorado.

Key Background

Alcohol usage upset impacts tens of millions of people, pinch 27.9 cardinal group ages 12 and older experiencing the information successful the past year, according to data from the 2024 National Survey connected Drug Use and Health. The information is characterized by struggling to power drinking contempt superior individual consequences. The CU Anschutz squad chose the oral formulation of semaglutide deliberately, arsenic injectable versions of the supplier were antecedently tested for intoxicant usage upset and had shown akin effects, but researchers believed a pill would beryllium much acceptable to the diligent population.

Further Reading

Alcohol Use Disorder Can Be Treated With an Array of Medications – But Few People Have Heard of Them (Forbes)

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