Diet and diabetes drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro could also help people struggling with alcohol and opioid abuse, according to a new study.

Dr Fares Qeadan, the paper’s primary author, explains to Popular Science that opioids and alcohol were chosen for the study because “both … interact with reward pathways in the brain that GLP-1 receptor agonists (RAs) are known to influence, which aligns with the hypothesized mechanism of action for these medications.”

Researchers from Loyola University Chicago are adding to the growing evidence suggesting that medications like Ozempic can treat substance abuse. Ozempic — which mimics the body’s naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone to make people feel full and eat less — treats diabetes and can spur weight loss.

In a huge new statistical analysis, researchers have found more evidence than ever that drugs like Ozempic can help curb alcohol and opioid addiction. Published in the journal Addiction, this new study saw researchers from Loyola University Chicago sift through more than 1.

The weight-loss drugs are linked with reduced rates of excess drinking and opioid overdoses, suggesting they may tamp down substance use cravings too.

A new study published today in Addiction suggests that Ozempic and similar medications may be able to help with treatment for opioid and alcohol use disorders.

Ozempic and similar products cut opioid and alcohol abuse by up to half, according to research that adds to evidence of the hugely popular blockbuster drugs’ broad potential beyond tackling obesity and diabetes.

New research shows that Ozempic and similar drugs reduce opioid overdoses by 40% and alcohol intoxication by 50% in people with substance use disorders. These medications, often prescribed for diabetes and weight issues,