Diabetes medications show promise in reducing alcohol consumption

Fresh research led by experts from the University of Nottingham has shown that certain types of drugs used to treat diabetes can effectively reduce alcohol consumption.

The study, which was published in Clinical eMedicineexamined whether a certain type of diabetes medicine, called GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA), could also be used to facilitate people reduce alcohol consumption.

The study was led by Dr Mohsen Subhani, clinical assistant professor of gastroenterology at the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Center at the University of Nottingham Medical School. It was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre.

In the fresh study, researchers assessed existing literature on RA GLP-1 utilize and changes in alcohol consumption.

They collected studies conducted through August 2024 that examined whether GLP-1 RAs impact alcohol utilize, alcohol-related health problems, hospital visits, and brain responses to alcohol cues. The team assessed six articles, including two randomized controlled trials that included 88,190 participants, of which 38,740 (43.9%) participants received GLP-1RA.

Our findings show that these types of diabetes drugs have promise in reducing alcohol consumption, potentially by acting on the brain’s reward center, especially in people with a BMI over 30.”

Dr Mohsen Subhani, Clinical Assistant Professor in Gastroenterology, NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Medical School, University of Nottingham

Key findings

• In one main study, the drug exenatide did not significantly reduce overall alcohol consumption after six months, but some positive results were seen in people with obesity.
• Another study found that people taking dulaglutide were 29% more likely to cut down on drinking than those taking a placebo.
• Observational (non-randomized) studies have shown fewer alcohol-related health problems and lower alcohol consumption in people taking RA GLP-1 compared to other treatments.

“Although further research is needed, our findings suggest that this may be a potential future treatment option for excessive alcohol consumption and may ultimately lead to a reduction in alcohol-related deaths,” adds Dr. Subhani.