- About 400 Million People Globally Live With Alcohol Use Disorder (Aud).
- Aud is Linked to an Increased Risk for Many Diseases, Including Cancer.
- Although there are Medicinal Treatments Available for Aud, Only About 2% of People with Aud Usem.
- A New Study Has Found That Semaglutide – The Active Substance in Ozempic and Wegovy – May Help reduces alcohol cravings in People with Aud.
About
Also Known as alcoholism, audience has been linked to an increase
Aud is also correlated with to Heightten Risk for
Traditional Treatments for Aud include Psychological Counseling, Entering A Dotoxification Program, Joining A Support Group Like Alcoholics Anonymous, and Certain Medications Such As
EVENT THE AVAILABILITY OF TREATMENT OPTIONS, PAST REESARCH SHOWS THAT
Now a New Study Recently Published in the Journal
What the Study Set-Up?
For This Study, Recruited 48 Adults With Aud Who Were Not Active Looking for Treatment.
Female participants had a past-month drinking history of more than Seven Drinks per Week, plus two or more “heavy drinking” incidents of four or more drinks at one time.
Male participants had a history of drinking more than 14 drinks per Week, and two or more heavy drinking episodes of five or more drinks.
Study Participants Received Eithher An Injection of Semaglutide Or Placebo over 9 Weeks. During the Study period, Measured the Weekly Drinking Patterns of Each Participant.
Semaglutide reduces alcohol cravings, heavy drinking
UPON ANALYSIS, The Researchers Found That Participants Who Received Semaglutide Infections Experienced A Reduction in Their Weekly Alcohol Cravings, Average Drinks on Drinking Days, and Amount of Heavy Drinking Days, When Combased To Thue Taking The Placebo.
The Study Authors Reported That in the Last Month of Treatment, Participants in the Semaglutide Group Signantly Reduced Their of Heavy Drinking Days, and About 40% of the Group Detailed No Heavy Drinking Days During that Last Month.
Researchers Also reported that the meaning of semaglutide’s positives on severe drinking outcomes was relativley greater than is normally seen with existing audiences.
Lastly, They Found That A Small Subgroup of Study Participants Treated With Semaglutide and Were Also Cigarette Smokers significantly reduced their average cigarettes per day appeared to those to recount the placebo.
“You data suggest the potential of semaglutide and similar Drugs to fill an unmet need for the treatment of alcohol use disorder,” Klara Klein, MD, PHD, Assistant Professor of Medicine in The Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at The University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Senior Author of This Study Said in a Press Relay.
“Larger and Longer Studies in Broader Populans are Needed to Fully Understand The Safety and Efficacy in People With Alcohol Use Disorder, But Initial Set Sign Findings Are Promising,” She Added
Is Semaglutide to Viable Alternative Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder?
Medical News Today Had the Opportunity To Speak with Two Addiction Psychiatrists From Meridian Health in New Jersey About This Study. Neither of Them Was Involved in the Research.
Hussain M. Abdullah, MD, An Addiction Psychiatrist at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Told MNT He was excited to know that semaglutide went This a rigorous clinical trial as there was anecdotal evidence of its positives on treatment of alcohol uses and other addictions.
“There are a limited number of FDA (Food and Drug Administration-) Approved Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder, Having An Additional Treatment Card On The Table is an Advantage,” Abdullah Notted. “Alcohol use disorder is highly heterogeneous and ‘one size fits all’ is not an ideal approach to treat it. To eat up with individualized Treatment Plans, Having A Range of Treatment Modalities is always an advantage. ”
Tony ISSAC, MD, An Addiction Psychiatrist atritan Bay Medical Center Commeable That This Study is promising scholause it presents a novel Pharmacological Approach that may improve treatment options for individuals struggling with alcohol dependence.
I have explained that:
“The reduction in alcohol craving and heavy/binge drinking days is particularly important as cravings are a significant factor for relapse. HAVING AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT OPTION COULD INCREASE ACCESSIVILITY AND ACCESS GIVEN THE LOWER ADOPT RATE OF EXISTING FDA APPROVED AUDDICATIONS. Another Promising Aspect is Semaglutide is already widely used in General Medical Settings Which can potentially increased accessibility and further aim to reduce Stigma Often Associated with Aud Treatments. ”
“The Study’s Limitations Such as Small Sample Size, Short Study Duration, and the Fact that participants were not actively seeking treatment may suggest that the results may not gra Fully Translate to a Real-World Clinical Setting,” I have continued.
“Before Consido Semaglutide As an off-Label Treatment for Aud, More Research is Needed To Determine ITS Long-Term Effectiveness, Optimal Dosing, and Safety in Patients with Severe Alcohol Dependence,” Said Isaac.
Reactions from the Addiction Treatment Community
MNT Also Spoke with Representatives from Three Organizations for Addiction Treatment Providers to get their reaction on This New Research.
“I am Thrilled to see This Study,” J. Greg Hobelmann, MD, MPH, Co-Coeo of Ashley Addiction Treatment, Adjunct Faculty in The Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, and Secretary of the Executive Committee for the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers Told MNT. “There have been to Lot of Hype About Semaglutide (and other incredin mimetics), But We Oough Not Base Treatment on Intuition and Anecdotal Reports.”
“Although This is a Small Study, It Was Well Designed and Execared,” Hobelmann Added. “The Results Are Vray Promising. This Study Gives Me Hope and Truly Serves As a Basis to Justify Further Studies. ”
“I am always found when I Learn of a new tool for treating any substance use disorder, whether that is a Psychosocial intervention, or a pharmaceutical,” Terrence Walton, MSW, Executive Director of Naadac, The Association for Addiction Professionals, Commented To MNT.
“Because there are severe FDA-Approved Medications for Alcohol Use and Opioid Use Disorders and None for Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Or Other Stimulant Use Disorders, I Was Mildly Disappointed that the Focus Was Aud. Nonetheless, I was intrigueted to read if a randomized, controlled, double-blind study woold validate the anecdotal accounts and have heard rearding reductions in alcohol and drarug cravings for people on weight loss medications, ”I have add.
“I am looking forward to the Next Phase, which Will Likely ties to significantly Larger Sample and More Variation in Dosage,” Walton Also Notted. “It is important that future studies those with severe alcohol use disorder, including those that are treatment Seeking and Who may desire desire abstinence.”
Finally, Lief Fenno, MD, PHD, Chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Addiction Psychiatry and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Ut Ut Austin Dell Medical Medical School in Texas Explained That:
“There Have Been Rumors That Glp1s May have an effect on alcohol Consumption – We Need High Quality Studies With Direct Clinical Utility to Know Whether The Rumors Are True, and If SO, How To Use This Class of Medications Effectively and With Which Patients. This Study is an Early Step Toward Answering these Questions. The results suggest that it is worth behavior Larger and Longer Studies. ”
“Alcohol use and alcohol use disorder are common and closely associated withupational dysfunction, Relationship Harm, and Crime, in Addition to Severe Medical and Psychiatric Concenences, Including Early Death,” Fenno Added. “I am excited about all interst and work to identify More Effective Ways to Help Patients Increases Their Control Over Alcohol Consumption.”
