alcool-cigarros-glp1-en.md

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title: "Can GLP-1 Help Reduce Cravings for Alcohol and Cigarettes?" slug: "glp1-reduce-alcohol-cigarette-cravings" metaTitle: "GLP-1 and the Reduction of Alcohol and Cigarette Cravings" metaDescription: "Learn how GLP-1 agonists may affect the urge to drink and smoke, according to recent studies."

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When 42-year-old Rosana started taking a GLP-1 based medication to lose weight, she expected to drop pounds. What she did not expect was noticing that the urge to have a glass of wine at the end of the day had faded quite a bit. Months later, without any conscious effort, she no longer felt like smoking after lunch. Rosana is not an isolated case. Researchers around the world have been paying attention to this unexpected side effect, and the results are raising eyebrows in the medical community.

What GLP-1 Does Beyond Hunger

GLP-1 is an intestinal hormone that acts on the brain, regulating hunger and fullness. But its reach does not stop there. Recent studies show that it interacts with the brain's reward circuits, the same pathways involved in substance addiction. This means that people using GLP-1 based medications may notice behavioral changes that go well beyond meals.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina tracked more than 22,000 patients and observed a significant reduction in substance use diagnoses after starting the therapy. Studies published in Nature Medicine (2023) and JAMA Internal Medicine (2024) reported a 50 to 60 percent drop in alcohol consumption among users of GLP-1 agonists.

The Link Between GLP-1 and Lower Alcohol Cravings

How does this work in practice? Alcohol activates the dopamine-based reward system. When GLP-1 acts on the brain, it appears to dampen that response. It does not block the effect of alcohol outright. Instead, it reduces the feeling of pleasure associated with drinking, which weakens the urge to keep going. In simple terms, a person can still have a drink, but the desire to have another fades more quickly.

A study from the University of Copenhagen (2024) involving 120 participants with obesity linked liraglutide use to an average 40 percent reduction in weekly drinks. Another clinical trial published in the journal Addiction Biology showed that GLP-1 agonists reduced activity in the ventral tegmental area, a brain region tied to addiction.

The Effect on Cigarettes: Less Urge to Smoke

The same neurological pathway that makes quitting smoking so difficult appears to be influenced by GLP-1. Researchers at Stanford University observed that smokers being treated with semaglutida reported lower anxiety when trying to cut down and fewer instances of oral cravings. Some participants described it as if the cigarette had lost its flavor after a few weeks of use.

Data presented at the Obesity Society Annual Meeting (2024) showed that 35 percent of smokers using GLP-1 managed to cut their cigarette consumption in half after 12 weeks. The reduction was even more pronounced among those who combined the medication with psychological counseling.

What This Means in Practice and What It Does Not

These results are promising, but interpretation requires care. GLP-1 is not an approved treatment specifically for chemical dependency. The effects related to reducing cravings are observed as secondary benefits in people already using the medication for another reason. This means that if you have no indication for GLP-1, you should not use the medication solely because of this effect.

No GLP-1 medication currently has FDA or ANVISA approval for treating alcohol or cigarette dependence. What exists are observational data and ongoing studies that justify a conversation with your doctor, and nothing more than that.

Talking to Your Doctor About This

If you are already on GLP-1 treatment and have noticed a change in your cravings for substances, it is worth bringing up with your doctor. Likewise, if you have obesity and are also trying to cut back on alcohol or cigarettes, discuss with your provider whether GLP-1 might serve as a helpful additional tool. Professional supervision matters. Never stop or start medications on your own.

The most effective approach combines pharmacological treatment with multidisciplinary support: a physician, a dietitian, and, when needed, a psychologist or psychiatrist.

Ozempro: Track Everything in One Place

Monitoring your treatment progress goes beyond the scale. Ozempro lets you log mood, hunger, substance cravings, and daily goals, building a history you can share with your medical team. If you want to better understand your consumption patterns and how your body responds throughout treatment, you can take a quiz that maps your habits and suggests the next step right on this page. The app also offers practical guidance on organizing your routine during GLP-1 treatment. For anyone seeking support through this process, having solid data on hand makes a real difference, and Ozempro brings all of it together in one place.

What to Expect and What Still Needs Research

The data are encouraging, but research is still underway. Longer studies with larger groups and more detailed follow-up are needed to understand how lasting the effect really is and who benefits most. What we have today is enough to warrant medical attention and a conversation about the topic, but not enough to recommend GLP-1 exclusively as an anti-addiction treatment.

Clinical trials currently running at the University of Minnesota and the University of Toronto are expected to produce more robust data by 2026 and 2027. Until then, the safest path remains having an open discussion with your doctor and using tracking tools that help you organize your day-to-day observations.