People taking weight-loss drugs like Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic report an unexpected side effect of drinking far less alcohol. These medications contain semaglutide or tirzepatide which mimic the hormone GLP-1 to suppress appetite. Researchers say the same drugs may also affect the brain's reward system with reducing cravings for alcohol and nicotine.
Lisa Rees(46) from South Wales, once drank six to eight bottles of wine weekly. Since starting Wegovy in April, she can barely finish two glasses. Warren Thomas (45) from Colchester noticed his desire for alcohol vanish within a day of his first Mounjaro dose and calling his tolerance now "zero."
Not everyone welcomes the change. Faye Goodwin (20) who has taken Mounjaro since age 18, says nausea and vomiting after drinking have hurt her social life specially during university where socializing often centered on alcohol.
Scientific evidence is growing. A 2025 study by Dr Christian Hendershot of the University of South Carolina found reduced alcohol cravings in people with alcohol use disorder taking Ozempic. A more recent University of Colorado study linked GLP-1 pills to fewer heavy-drinking days among those with mild to moderate alcohol use disorder.
Experts caution that most trials so far involve people with diagnosed alcohol problems is not casual drinkers and larger studies are needed before the drugs can be officially approved for addiction treatment. Side effects with rare pancreatitis remain a concern. Researchers are also exploring whether these drugs could help treat smoking and opioid addiction.
