Diabetes drugs may also reduce risk of addiction
A recent study suggests that GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic (semaglutide) and Wegovy (a semaglutide product for weight loss) could do more than manage blood sugar: they might also reduce the risk of developing addictions.
Researchers at Washington University looked at health records from more than 600,000 US veterans with type 2 diabetes and found that people on these medications were less likely to develop substance use disorders.
GLP-1 use linked to lower addiction risk
In a cohort of US veterans with type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 use was associated with a 14% lower risk of developing a substance use disorder (compared with another diabetes drug class), with even bigger drops for specific substances: alcohol (18%), cannabis (14%), cocaine and nicotine (20%), and opioids (25%).
Potential double benefit for diabetes patients
For those already struggling with addiction, these medications were associated with fewer emergency department visits, hospitalizations, overdoses, and drug-related deaths.
The takeaway? If you have type 2 diabetes, these medications could offer a double benefit, helping with both blood sugar and addiction risks.