JAMA Psychiatry

Semaglutide reduces alcohol consumption, cravings in randomized trial

February 14, 2025

Semaglutide may be an effective treatment for reducing alcohol consumption and craving in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). The results justify larger clinical trials to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) like semaglutide for AUD, potentially offering a new therapeutic option for this challenging condition.

Study details: This phase 2, double-blind, randomized trial evaluated the effects of once-weekly SC semaglutide on alcohol consumption and craving in 48 non-treatment-seeking adults with AUD. Participants were randomized to receive semaglutide (0.25 mg/week for 4 weeks, 0.5 mg/week for 4 weeks, and 1.0 mg for 1 week) or placebo over a 9-week outpatient treatment period.

Results: Semaglutide significantly reduced the amount of alcohol consumed during a posttreatment laboratory self-administration task, with medium to large effect sizes for grams of alcohol consumed (β, -0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.85 to -0.11; P = .01) and peak breath alcohol concentration (β, -0.46; 95% CI, -0.87 to -0.06; P = .03). Although semaglutide didn't affect average drinks per calendar day or number of drinking days, it significantly reduced drinks per drinking day (β, −0.41; 95% CI, −0.73 to −0.09; P = .04) and weekly alcohol craving (β, −0.39; 95% CI, −0.73 to −0.06; P = .01). There was also a significant reduction in heavy drinking over time relative to placebo.

Source:

Hendershot CS, et al. (2025, February 12). JAMA Psychiatry. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39937469/