Thursday, 14 November 2024
New research, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found that certain types of medication used to treat diabetes may be effective in reducing alcohol use.
The study, which is published in eClinicalMedicine, looked at whether a type of diabetes medication, called GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), could also be used to help people cut down on drinking.
The study was led by Dr Mohsen Subhani, Clinical Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology at the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, in the School of Medicine, at the University of Nottingham. It was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre.
In the new study, researchers evaluated existing literature on GLP-1 RAs use and the change in alcohol consumption.
They gathered studies up to August 2024 that examined whether GLP-1 RAs affect alcohol use, alcohol-related health problems, hospital visits, and brain reactions to alcohol cues. The team evaluated six articles, including two randomised control trials made up of 88,190 participants, of these 38,740 (43.9%) of participants received GLP-1RA.
Our findings show that this type of diabetes medication shows promise in reducing alcohol consumption, potentially by targeting the brain’s reward centre, especially in people with a BMI over 30.”
The key findings:
- In one main study, the medication exenatide did not significantly reduce drinking overall after six months, but people with obesity showed some positive results.
- Another study found that people taking the drug dulaglutide were 29% more likely to reduce drinking than those on a placebo.
- Observational studies (non-randomised) showed fewer alcohol-related health problems and lower alcohol use in people taking GLP-1 RAs compared to other treatments.
“Whilst further research is needed, our findings suggest this could be a potential treatment option in the future for excessive alcohol use and subsequently could lead to a reduction in alcohol-related deaths,” adds Dr Subhani.
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The DOI For this paper will be 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102920
More information is available from Dr Mohsen Subhani from the School of Medicine at mohsan.subhani@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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