Phoebe Tonks
Drugs to assist in weight loss and the treatment of Type 2 diabetes are well known to help slim down waistlines and curb appetites, but scientists have now discovered one unexpected side effect, and it's for anyone who enjoys an alcoholic tipple.
Up until now, several studies have shown that patients taking the medication (which is commonly referred to by brand names such as Mounjaro or Wegovy) have reported a reduced alcohol consumption overall, but a new study has now shown that even patients still drinking alcohol are metabolizing it differently.
Semaglutide drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro, which contains tirzepatide, mimic the natural hormones that regulate blood sugar and appetite, which is one of the contributing factors to how much a person wants to drink.
Yet despite knowing that the phenomenon exists, researchers at Virginia Tech's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute were curious about how exactly the medicine curbed drinking.
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As part of the study, 20 adults with obesity—half of whom had been taking GLP-1 receptor agonists for at least four weeks—were investigated to see how they responded to alcohol.
Both groups fasted overnight, then tucked into an identical snack before drinking alcoholic beverages that had been specifically designed to reach about 0.08 on a breathalyzer.
Researchers then monitored the breath alcohol levels, cravings, appetite, nausea and blood sugar of participants, while also asking them to rank how drunk they felt on a scale of 1-10 over the subsequent four hours.
Participants taking GLP-1s showed a slower rise in breath alcohol during the first 10 to 20 minutes and lower overall levels throughout. They also reported feeling far less drunk early on, hinting at a delayed response to alcohol metabolism.
The findings from the study were published earlier this month in the journal Scientific Reports, with the results aligning with an earlier understanding of how GLP-1 receptor agonists work.
One of the mechanisms associated with the medication is that it delays the stomach’s ability to empty, meaning it would take longer for food to be digested and nutrients absorbed.
In general terms, this contributes to an increased sense of satiety, but also means alcohol takes far longer to be absorbed and hit the bloodstream.
"People who drink know there’s a difference between nursing a glass of wine and downing a shot of whiskey," Alex DiFeliceantonio, assistant professor and interim co-director of the institute's Center for Health Behaviors Research, explained.
"Faster-acting drugs have a higher abuse potential," she went on. "They have a different impact on the brain. So, if GLP-1s slow alcohol entering the bloodstream, they could reduce the effect of alcohol and help people drink less."
As well as a delay in feeling intoxicated, participants in the study also reported a lower craving for alcohol overall.
"More studies are needed to help establish how effective these drugs are, what the long-term effects are, if some are better than others, and what dose is most effective for reducing drinking versus controlling blood glucose, for example," DiFeliceantonio said. "These are all open questions."
While the news that the medication could prove invaluable for tackling alcohol craving could offer hope to some patients, one expert has urged caution – and suggested that a delayed or weaker ‘buzz’ from alcohol could actually lead to people drinking more in a bid to chase that feeling of intoxication.