TY - JOUR

T1 - GLP-1 receptor agonists are promising but unproven treatments for alcohol and substance use disorders

AU - Leggio, Lorenzo

AU - Hendershot, Christian S.

AU - Farokhnia, Mehdi

AU - Fink-Jensen, Anders

AU - Klausen, Mette Kruse

AU - Schacht, Joseph P.

AU - Simmons, W. Kyle

N1 - Funding Information: The authors thank the following funding sources: NIDA and NIAAA Intramural Research Programs (L.L. and M.F.); NIAAA grant R21AA026931 and NIDA grant R21DA047663 (C.H.); the Research Fund of the Mental Health Services – Capital Region of Denmark (M.K.K.), the Novo Nordisk Foundation (M.K.K. and A.F.J.), NIAAA grants R01AA027765, R01AA026859, and R21 AA031146 (J.P.S.); the Hardesty Family Foundation (W.K.S.).

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - The development and rapid clinical adoption of potent and long-lasting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) is quickly changing the landscape of diabetes and obesity treatment. In particular, semaglutide (marketed as Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus) has attracted attention among the general public for its remarkable effects on weight loss. The explosive growth of its use in clinical practice has been accompanied by an important ancillary finding: frequent anecdotal reports of reductions in alcohol use and other addictive behaviors. These observations, which we have heard ourselves from patients and providers, are being amplified by media and public attention and have led to discussions about potential clinical applications of semaglutide and other GLP-1RAs for addictive disorders, especially alcohol use disorder (AUD). We write as leaders of clinical trials currently underway in North America and Europe to evaluate the efficacy of semaglutide for AUD to encourage clinicians and patients to be prudent and avoid placing supposition before science.

AB - The development and rapid clinical adoption of potent and long-lasting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) is quickly changing the landscape of diabetes and obesity treatment. In particular, semaglutide (marketed as Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus) has attracted attention among the general public for its remarkable effects on weight loss. The explosive growth of its use in clinical practice has been accompanied by an important ancillary finding: frequent anecdotal reports of reductions in alcohol use and other addictive behaviors. These observations, which we have heard ourselves from patients and providers, are being amplified by media and public attention and have led to discussions about potential clinical applications of semaglutide and other GLP-1RAs for addictive disorders, especially alcohol use disorder (AUD). We write as leaders of clinical trials currently underway in North America and Europe to evaluate the efficacy of semaglutide for AUD to encourage clinicians and patients to be prudent and avoid placing supposition before science.

U2 - 10.1038/s41591-023-02634-8

DO - 10.1038/s41591-023-02634-8

M3 - Comment/debate

C2 - 38001271

AN - SCOPUS:85177640091

VL - 29

SP - 2993

EP - 2995

JO - Nature Medicine

JF - Nature Medicine

SN - 1078-8956

IS - 12

ER -