Longevity & AgingWegovy Slashes Heavy Drinking Days by 41% in Landmark Alcohol Use Disorder Trial
A randomized controlled trial published in The Lancet found that semaglutide (Wegovy), the GLP-1 receptor agonist widely used for weight loss, significantly reduced heavy drinking days in adults with obesity and alcohol use disorder. Over 26 weeks, participants on semaglutide saw a 41% reduction in heavy drinking days compared to 26% for placebo. Beyond drinking frequency, semaglutide also lowered overall alcohol consumption, reduced craving scores, and improved liver health biomarkers. Researchers say the effect size rivals or exceeds existing FDA-approved alcohol use disorder medications, which are already vastly underused. The findings support growing interest in GLP-1 drugs as potential treatments for addiction, though experts caution that off-label prescribing is outpacing the evidence base.
