In a groundbreaking study by Loyola University Chicago, researchers have discovered that certain weight loss medications, including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, may significantly reduce the rates of opioid overdose and alcohol intoxication among individuals suffering from opioid and alcohol use disorders.
This revelation could potentially revolutionize the approach to substance use treatment, offering a novel therapeutic pathway.
As reported by the Daily Caller, the study, published in the scientific journal "Addiction," revealed that the opioid overdose rate among patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) and Type 2 diabetes who were prescribed one of the aforementioned weight loss drugs decreased by 38%. This is in comparison to patients with the same conditions who were not on a weight loss medication. Furthermore, the rate dropped by 33% among OUD patients with obesity on a weight loss drug, and by 35% among OUD patients with both Type 2 diabetes and obesity on a weight loss drug.
In the case of alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients, the rate of alcohol abuse was halved among those on a weight loss drug compared to those not prescribed such a medication. The rate was 49% lower for AUD patients with Type 2 diabetes and on a weight loss drug, and it fell by 42% for AUD patients with obesity and Type 2 diabetes on a weight loss drug. The same 42% reduction was observed for AUD patients with obesity who were also on a weight loss drug.
The researchers, after examining a database of 136 U.S. health systems covering over 100 million patients and approximately 1.7 billion healthcare encounters, focused their study on 503,747 OUD patients and 817,309 AUD patients. The study period spanned from January 2014, around the time the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved weight loss medication, to September 2022.
The researchers noted in their paper, "Our study reveals the possibilities of a novel therapeutic pathway in substance use treatment." They cautioned, however, that while the results are "promising," they should encourage "further research, particularly prospective clinical trials, to validate these associations and understand the underlying mechanisms."
Matt Field, a professor of psychology at the University of Sheffield, offered a critical perspective on the study's findings. He pointed out that while Ozempic might prevent overdose and subsequent hospitalization, it might not help patients reduce the amount of substance they consume or help them abstain outright.
The study's findings are particularly significant given the prevalence of OUD and AUD in the U.S., affecting 6.7 to 7.6 million and around 29.5 million individuals respectively. Moreover, the use of weight loss drugs is widespread, with one in eight adults, or 12% of the U.S. adult population, having taken such a medication, according to a survey by the nonprofit KFF.
The issue of obesity, a condition affecting about 40.3% of U.S. adults as of August 2021 to August 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), further underscores the potential impact of these findings. The study's revelations could potentially offer a dual solution, addressing both the obesity epidemic and the substance abuse crisis in the U.S. However, as the researchers and critics alike have noted, further research is needed to fully understand and validate these associations.
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