THE drug that took the world by storm is back in the news, with an unexpected side effect.
Swedish neuroscientists have demonstrated that semaglutide can reduce alcohol relapses in rodents, while two new research papers published in eBioMedicine described similar benefits in humans.
When researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Centre monitored the progress of six patients with alcohol use disorder, who had been prescribed semaglutide, they observed a significant reduction in their drinking.
"This is the first confirmed improvement in alcohol use disorder symptoms in humans," said Prof Jesse Richards who led the interesting study.
"Probably the most fascinating finding was that even the lowest dose [of semaglutide], the baby starter, quarter of a milligram dose, actually showed some quite significant reduction, probably about 70% of the alcohol use disorder symptoms," said Richards.
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