UTEP Study Links GLP-1 Drugs to 75% Lower Cocaine Disorder Risk
Updated
Updated · KVIA · Jun 12
UTEP Study Links GLP-1 Drugs to 75% Lower Cocaine Disorder Risk
3 articles · Updated · KVIA · Jun 12
Summary
142,000 patient cases in a UTEP-led study showed GLP-1 users were markedly less likely to develop substance use disorders than nonusers among people with type 2 diabetes or obesity.
About 20,000 of those patients were prescribed GLP-1 drugs, and the study found 74% lower odds of alcohol use disorder, 69% lower odds of opioid use disorder, 68% lower odds of nicotine use disorder, and 75% lower odds of cocaine use disorder.
UTEP researchers said the findings add to evidence that GLP-1 medicines such as Ozempic may affect brain reward and craving pathways, extending their apparent impact beyond appetite and blood-sugar control.
If Ozempic quiets cravings, what are the long-term consequences for our brain's reward system?
Could a popular weight-loss drug become our next major weapon against the addiction crisis?
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Associated with Dramatic Reductions in Substance Use Disorders: Evidence, Challenges, and Policy Implications
Overview
A recent study from the University of Texas at El Paso analyzed over 142,000 patient cases and found that GLP-1 receptor agonists—medications originally used for diabetes and obesity—are linked to much lower odds of developing substance use disorders, including a striking 75% reduction in cocaine use disorder. The research suggests these drugs may do more than control appetite and blood sugar; they also seem to affect brain pathways related to reward and craving. This points to a new potential role for GLP-1 medications in reducing addiction risk, though more research is needed to confirm these findings.