- For the first time, a randomized controlled trial showed that ozempic slows down alcohol desires.
- The researchers say that this opens the door in search of the ozempic microdosé for alcohol dependence.
- Scientists run to identify the brain’s path involved to unlock new drug addiction treatments.
A new major study on weight loss poses a new idea of treatment of drug addiction: small doses of Ozempic could help people reduce and smoke.
This week, Jama Psychiatry published the results of a small but significant test that showed a similar effect on alcohol desires. For two months, 48 people with alcohol consumption problems received a small weekly semaglutide photo, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, or a placebo. Those who received the drug have drunk less and reported fewer buildings.
The study funded by the Federal Government is the first randomized controlled trial – the clinical research stallion – by examining ozempcques and alcoholic desires, after years of ozempic user reports that they feel less attached to the ‘alcohol.
There was also a conclusion of bonuses. Cigarette smokers who received a dose of semaglutide reduced their consumption of daily cigarettes than those who obtained the placebo.
Researchers say that the results open up a whole new world of possibilities for drug developers. Could we make a new, smaller dose of GLP-1 drugs that people can use to break habits?
“I could absolutely see the microdosage entering into play,” a behavioral neuroscientist from Florida State University who was not involved in the study.
“It could be a good thing if someone does it and has succeeded in dry January and maybe he starts drinking in February, but it reduces binges and they enter something more sustainable for daily life . “
We still have major questions about what it might look like. Other tests are necessary with different doses, a longer period, on more people.
However, scientists are buzzing with regard to this essay, what he teaches us about the reward system of our brain and the development potential of drugs.
Here are some reasons for intrigue, according to three researchers:
A vacuum cleaner for dopamine
We still have a lot to learn about the functioning of GLP-1 drugs on the brain, although alcohol studies offer clues.
It is tempting to think that because the semaglutide can help people reduce calories and sugar, this also reduces the “appetite” of alcohol. It’s not that simple, Anders Fink-Jeansen, professor of psychiatry at the University of Copenhagen, who looked for the effect of GLP-1 on substance consumption problems, BI told Bi.
For example, animal studies have shown that GLP-1 drugs did not only reduce alcohol desires in mice, but also slowed down the desire for a correction in rats that wanted cocaine, which is calories.
“We know little about it,” Fink-Jeansen told Business Insider. “We just don’t know how drugs occur. There are areas to regulate appetite and we know that it reaches these areas. But how it happens to the rest of the brain, we don’t really understand. “”
A theory is that GLP-1 drugs reduce dopamine rushes in the brain, the feeling of pleasure triggered by certain behaviors such as eating candy or sipping whiskey dear.
It does so by stimulating a specific type of protein through complex cellular processes that scientists always train.
“It acts as a vacuum cleaner for dopamine, sucks dopamine,” Stanwood told Business Insider. “Rewards such as alcohol consumption, game, sex, share a mechanism to increase the amount of dopamine in your brain. Cleaning excess dopamine reduces incentive to these behaviors.”
The race to explain this brain effect – to unlock a brand new drug market
There is enormous potential for this area of research. Whoever can explain what to do, exactly the GLP-1, will be the toast of the pharmaceutical industry. Treatments could be developed for alcohol consumption problems – and much more.
“Outbuildings in general, also functional dependencies such as dependence on the game,” said Eastern Finland Bi University that specializes in the way drugs affect the brain.
So the race is on. The central regulation of dopamine is the “most rooted” theory, said Lähteenvuo, but there is no shortage of research teams in search of other explanations.
It is difficult to assess the safety of such treatments without however understanding how drugs like ozempic work in the brain.
“The question is: does the activation of GLP-1 receptors do all the time or simply when dopamine is excessive?” Stanwood said. “If it’s all the time, it could be a problem because we need these dopamine tubes to strengthen these wonderful things like hugging your children, listening to music, having a chocolate cake. We don’t want to tighten That to nothing. “
Until now, research supports the theory that GLP-1 act on excessive dopamine levels. A key conclusion of the latest study is that the participants kept drinking completely, or even less often, but they were less likely to drink heavily and fewer drinks by session when they did.
Why you really have (really!)
In the future, GLP-1 may be a tool for people to manage their alcohol consumption.
The delicate part is security.
Stigmatization around dependence could scare investors to develop a GLP-1 for drug addiction disorders, researchers told Bi. Ozempic has other lucrative and attractive applications for which companies could develop new generation drugs, such as prevention of heart attacks or kidney diseases.
“It could easily take three or four years or a lot of time if they are not interested or if the data is not as positive as we hope,” said Fink-Jeansen.
People can – and make GLP -1 out of AMM for weight loss, find Ozempic (technically a diabetes drug) from websites on the gray market. Fink-Jeansen said it was a risky decision, even under supervision, because we do not yet understand exactly how to use this drug for dependence.
“We really suggest that people should avoid prescribing these compounds now and waiting for stronger data.”
- Morgan McFall-Johnsen contributed to reports.
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