Since then, it’s slowly been emerging that they have another surprising effect: many users report less of a desire to throw back as many drinks as they did before starting the injections. Indeed, several small studies have found promising evidence that the drugs indeed curb cravings for alcohol**,** cigarettes, and even opioids, meaning they also hold promise to treat a range of addiction disorders. (View Highlight)
Adding to the complexity is that the drugs make other changes to the body’s functioning that could interact with substance use in complex ways. Take a new paper published in the journal Scientific Reports by Virginia Tech researchers this week, for instance, which found that GLP-1s appear to physically change the way our bodies process alcohol. (View Highlight)
In the study, participants drank three alcoholic drinks over the course of an hour while researchers tracked their blood alcohol, glucose, and vital signs. Compared to non-users, the the participants on GLP-1s reported feeling less drunk overall — and had the readings to prove it: their blood alcohol level rose more slowly, meaning the buzz was delayed and less significant. (View Highlight)
It’s not hard to imagine why. GLP-1s are known to slow gastric emptying of the stomach, which could likely result in alcohol reaching the bloodstream more slowly. But it once again shows how nuanced these drugs’ effects on our bodies and minds is: it may well be that an injection like semaglutide is both changing the neurological reward associated with alcohol, while simultaneously changing the way your stomach and gut processes a drink. (View Highlight)
“Why would this matter? Faster-acting drugs have a higher abuse potential,” said Alex DiFeliceantonio, a Virginia Tech neuroscientist who worked on the study, in a blurb about the research. “They have a different impact on the brain. So if GLP-1s slow alcohol entering the bloodstream, they could reduce the effects of alcohol and help people drink less.” (View Highlight)
