Semaglutide has proven to be an effective drug in the treatment of alcohol dependence. This has been reported by the University of Gothenburg.
Semaglutide is a drug for the treatment of diabetes, but its effects on the body are complex. Therefore, it is also approved for the treatment of obesity, and some experts believe that this drug helps to overcome alcohol addiction. This disease is distinguished by the presence of many forms for which no single drug is suitable, and therefore doctors try to diversify the available range of drugs as much as possible.
Elizabeth Gerlhag and colleagues conducted a study on the effects of this drug on mice. Alcoholic animals were treated with semaglutide, which significantly reduced their alcohol intake and, more importantly, greatly suppressed relapses. Relapses are a major problem for people with alcohol dependence, because a person who abstains from alcohol for a period of time drinks more after relapse than before quitting.
In the study, drug-treated rats had half their alcohol intake compared to untreated animals. One of the interesting results of the study was that semaglutide reduced alcohol intake equally in both male and female rats.
Now, to confirm the effectiveness of the method, it is necessary to conduct a similar experiment with the participation of human volunteers.