- Alcohol use disorder is a condition that can lead to physical and psychological damage. There are several strategies to help people who struggle with the misuse of alcohol.
- Researchers are still seeking the best way to help people with alcohol use disorder, including the potential of medications to curb alcohol consumption.
- A study in rats and mice found that a drug typically used in the treatment of diabetes may help curb alcohol consumption and reduce relapse-drinking behaviors.
Research is ongoing about the dangers of drinking too much alcohol too frequently. Some people may struggle to stop drinking even if their drinking habits cause harm. Experts want to understand what medications may help people minimize their alcohol consumption.
A study published in
The study opens the door for further research into how this medication could help people with alcohol use disorder.
This particular study looked at how semaglutide influenced drinking habits. Semaglutide is a medication that helps with the pancreas’ production of insulin.
Doctors typically prescribe it to help some people with type 2 diabetes. However, recent research has suggested the drug’s potential may be more diverse than just helping with diabetes treatment.
Researchers used mice and rats in their data collection. Researchers investigated how semaglutide affected the rats’ alcohol consumption.
To start, they gave alcohol to a group of rats for about 9 weeks to establish a drinking habit. They did this by providing alcohol 3 days per week.
Then, when researchers gave the rats semaglutide, they measured its effects on alcohol consumption. Rats that had received the medication exhibited reductions in their alcohol consumption.
Study author Prof. Elisabet Jerlhag, from the Department of Pharmacology at the Institute of…
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