The active ingredient in popular weight loss and diabetes drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, called semaglutide, has been making headlines for more than just its intended uses.
Recent studies suggest that semaglutide might also help people quit smoking.
Semaglutide was originally developed to manage diabetes and help with weight loss, but researchers are now finding it has other benefits too.
Earlier studies showed it could slow down the progression of chronic kidney disease and help with glaucoma, an eye disease.
There’s also evidence that semaglutide can reduce alcohol dependence.
Now, a study from Case Western Reserve University in the U.S. suggests that semaglutide might also reduce tobacco addiction.
The study looked at data from 222,942 people who were taking diabetes medication, including 5,967 who were using semaglutide. All the participants were smokers.
The findings showed that people taking semaglutide were less likely to seek help or counseling to quit smoking compared to those using other diabetes medications. This effect was seen even in participants who weren’t obese.
While the results are encouraging, the researchers say more studies are needed to fully understand how semaglutide might reduce the need for tobacco addiction treatment.
The study was published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
Interestingly, semaglutide might also impact other addictions.
Previous research has shown it could reduce alcohol cravings. In one study, overweight participants with a BMI over 25 drank less alcohol when given semaglutide compared to those given a placebo.
Researchers believe this could be because the same parts of the brain are involved in cravings for both food and alcohol.
If these findings are confirmed, semaglutide could become a useful tool for treating various types of addiction.
