New research, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found that certain types of drugs used to treat diabetes can be effective in reducing alcohol use.
The study, which is published in eClinical Medicinelooked at whether a type of diabetes drug, called GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), could also be used to help people cut down on drinking.
The head of the study was Dr. Mohsen Subhani, Clinical Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology at the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham School of Medicine. Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre.
In the new study, researchers evaluated the existing literature on the use of GLP-1 RAs and change in alcohol consumption.
They collected studies through August 2024 that examined whether GLP-1 RAs affect alcohol use, alcohol-related health problems, hospital visits, and brain responses to alcohol cues. The team assessed six articles, including two randomized control trials consisting of 88,190 participants, of which 38,740 (43.9%) of participants received GLP-1RA.
Our findings show that this type of diabetes drug shows promise in reducing alcohol consumption, possibly by targeting the brain’s reward center, especially in people with a BMI over 30.”
Dr. Mohsen Subhani, Clinical Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology, NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham
The main findings
- In one main study, the drug exenatide did not significantly reduce alcohol consumption overall after six months, but people with obesity showed some positive effects.
- Another study found that people taking the drug dulaglutide were 29% more likely to reduce their alcohol consumption compared to those taking a placebo.
- Observational studies (non-randomized) showed fewer alcohol-related health problems and lower alcohol use in people taking RA GLP-1 compared to other treatments.
“Although further research is needed, our findings suggest that this could be a potential treatment option in the future for excessive alcohol use and could subsequently lead to a reduction in alcohol-related deaths,” adds Dr Subhani.
Source:
Journal Reference:
Subhani, M.et al. (2024). Association between use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and change in alcohol consumption: a systematic review. eClinical Medicine. doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102920.
