Use of GLP-1 medications, the popular class of drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity, is associated with a lower risk of developing substance-use disorders and a significant reduction in drug-related deaths, according to a new study reported by CNN.com.
The research, published in the journal BMJ, analyzed medical records from the US Department of Veterans Affairs involving more than 600,000 people with type 2 diabetes. Investigators compared those treated with GLP-1 drugs—such as Ozempic and Mounjaro—against those taking a different class of diabetes medication.
The study found that GLP-1 use was associated with approximately seven fewer people per 1,000 developing a substance-use disorder over a three-year period. More significantly, for patients already diagnosed with a disorder, the drugs were linked to a 50% reduction in drug-related deaths.
“What’s surprising is the breadth and consistency of effect across all of these different substances,” said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, lead author and chief of the Research and Development Service at the VA St. Louis Health Care System. The findings included protective effects against disorders involving alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, nicotine, and opioids.
GLP-1 drugs, which mimic a naturally occurring hormone, work by acting on both the gut and the brain’s reward systems to quiet cravings and “food noise.” Beyond weight loss, they have already shown success in treating cardiovascular disease and kidney disease.
Despite the promising data, experts urge caution. Dr. Caleb Alexander, a professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins, noted that the observed reduction in overdose deaths might appear “too large to be believable” and suggested that patients prescribed GLP-1s may be more motivated to change behaviors than those on other medications.
Furthermore, because the study utilized VA records, the participants were predominantly older and male, raising questions about whether the results apply to the general population.
“We don’t have all the data yet, but it’s sure trending in the right direction,” said Dr. W. Kyle Simmons of Oklahoma State University.
The field is currently awaiting the results of several randomized controlled trials—the gold standard of medical research—expected to read out within the next six months.
These trials are specifically examining the impact of GLP-1s on alcohol-use disorder, cocaine use, and opioids. Pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are also conducting or planning studies to evaluate their drugs’ effects on various addictions.
Additionally, the VA study found a 25% reduction in suicidal ideation among GLP-1 users, contributing to a growing body of evidence suggesting the drugs do not increase suicide risk.