GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy may reduce the risk of substance use disorders, according to a large cohort study of more than 600,000 veterans published in the BMJ [1]. The findings suggest a potential new application for a drug class already reshaping diabetes and obesity treatment.

The study, conducted by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis using Veterans Affairs data, found that patients who started GLP-1 receptor agonists had lower rates of alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, and other substance use diagnoses compared to matched controls [2]. The composite risk reduction spanned multiple substance categories, and patients on GLP-1s were also less likely to experience overdose events [3].

The mechanism may involve how GLP-1 signaling modulates dopaminergic responses to substances of abuse, according to preclinical research cited in the study. NPR reported that the breadth of the effect across different substance types was particularly striking to researchers [4].

Scientific American noted that the study is observational rather than a randomized controlled trial, which means it cannot prove causation [5]. Clinical trials specifically designed to test GLP-1 drugs for addiction treatment are now being planned, building on a 2024 review of five earlier clinical trials that showed preliminary promise.

Harvard researchers have described substance use disorder as a potential next frontier for GLP-1 therapeutics, alongside ongoing investigations into the drugs' effects on depression, anxiety, and neuroinflammation.

-- Nora Whitfield, New York