Jabs used for weight loss and treating type 2 diabetes could help people with alcohol abuse problems, according to a study.
The injections led to a 50% lower rate of alcohol intoxication in people taking them compared to those who had not been prescribed them, researchers found.
They also found off-label use of the drugs could help people addicted to opioids.
In a study published in the journal Addiction, the researchers looked at glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA), which they said included the drug Ozempic, and/or glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) drugs, which they said include brand name Mounjaro.
Such drugs may help curb addictions because, in addition to working on appetite, they also affect parts of the brain which maintain addictive behaviour, health experts suggest.
Researchers looked at 817,309 people with a history of alcohol use disorder, of which 5,621 had a prescription for a GLP-1 RA or GIP.
They found people with alcohol use disorder who had a GLP-1 RA or GIP prescription had a 50% lower rate of alcohol intoxication compared to those who did not.
Drugs could help people with opioid addictions
The study, led by Loyola University Chicago in the US, also looked at 503,747 people with a history of opioid use disorder, of which 8,103 had been prescribed a GLP-1 RA or GIP.
It found people with the disorder who had a GLP-1 RA or GIP prescription had a 40% lower use of opioid overdose.
The results showed the drugs “should be investigated as a novel pharmacotherapy treatment option” for people with alcohol and opioid addiction,” the authors said.
It comes after Health Secretary Wes Streeting told Sky News weight loss jabs such as Ozempic and Wegovy should not be used to get the “Instagram perfect body”.
And Sir Keir Starmer said such treatments could get people “back to work” to boost the economy.
The prime minister also said the injections could also help reduce pressure on the NHS.