Forget weight loss, Ozempic could help alcoholics!
Daily Mail Ozempic and Wegovy, the weight loss jabs taking Hollywood by storm, could also helpalcoholics, a new study suggests.
The drugs' active ingredient, semaglutide, works by mimicking hormones that trick the brain into thinking the stomach is full, reducing people's appetite and helping them shed excess pounds as a result.
But Swedish experts think the medication's ability to hijack normal brain chemistry could also be used to break the cycle of alcohol abuse.
Researchers at theUniversity of Gothenburg tested the chemical on dozens of rats which had been exposed to alcohol, and like many humans, grown to enjoy it.
They were allowed free reign on an alcohol supply in addition to their food and water during the experiment.
Compared to rodents given a placebo, those taking semaglutide consumed half as much alcohol.
Once deprived of alcohol for a week to heighten their cravings, alcoholic ratsgiven the medication still drank much less.
This finding could be important for humans as people trying to escape the clutches of alcohol addiction can end up drinking even more than they previously did if they happen to relapse.
