27 patients describe how Ozempic and Mounjaro reduced their urge to drink alcohol

"I just think about drinking and shiver and feel the nausea wash over me. This is actually AWESOME. The best thing that's happened to me."

Our comprehensive review, GLP-1 for Addiction: the Medical Evidence for Opioid, Nicotine, and Alcohol Use Disorder, looks at all the research on medications such as Ozempic for reducing addiction to alcohol, cannabis, opioids, and more.

We’ve also asked Reddit users who take Ozempic and Mounjaro whether these drugs have reduced their alcohol consumption and desire to drink. We received nearly 300 responses to our posts, with almost all (but not all) saying the same thing: the amount of alcohol the person drank dropped dramatically after starting these drugs and this effect occurred upon initiation or after a specific dose increase.

Importantly, these drugs were not prescribed or intended for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) and it appears that most of the folks who replied would not describe themselves as having a drinking problem. The reduction in drinking happened as a side effect of GLP-1 treatment for diabetes or obesity. Most of the respondents feel happy to have reduced their drinking but some are actually disappointed that these medicines removed their desire for alcohol, which was a positive part of their life. These are anecdotes, not part of a scientific study or even an organized survey, and it’s highly probable that people who have experienced the side effect of reduced drinking were more likely to respond.

When combined with upcoming scientific studies, these types of compelling first-person narratives create an opportunity to shift our cultural understanding of substance use and dependence, in the same way that first-person descriptions of ‘food noise’ disappearing on GLP-1 drugs have shifted the public’s understanding of eating and obesity. Craving, desire, and consumption are often outside of the reach of conscious decision making and willpower and that becomes tangibly clear when you hear someone describe the switch being “turned off” and their drinking dropping to zero. It creates an opening for empathy and destigmatization.

Again, the respondents are self-selected, our posts were leading because we wanted to be transparent about our organization and this was not an attempt at a survey, and so this is not at all a representative population, but reading these stories may convince you that the effect is real for at least a substantial portion of people. The combination of unexpectedness of the effect and immediate onset (rather than an indirect effect after weight loss) are worth noting. Importantly, a few people described their desire to drink returning partially or completely a few months into treatment, which may limit the duration of impact for some. If you are wondering whether we have cherry-picked the replies below, we urge you to read through the comments yourself, they are fascinating— here’s the post about Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and the one about Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy).

Luckily, we won’t have to wait much longer before more hard data emerges on GLP-1s and alcohol. Several studies will be published this year on the topic and we’ve heard directly from the author of one upcoming paper that the magnitude of impact is quite large.

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Responses Mentioning Immediate Effects

“Loving this! My mom started when I did and used to have a drink every night. When I told her about the studies being done into alcohol she realized she hadn’t had a drink in over a week and had no desire for one. She’s not an alcoholic but she just liked having her nightly drink.” Link

“I (37F) have been a pretty severe alcoholic for a decade or more. The longest I went without drinking in 10 years was 2 weeks. I would drink to blackout maybe 3 nights a week, sometimes more.. 7 to 10 shots of 90 proof vodka. Or more. My tolerance was pretty high. I titrated up to .5 semaglutide this past Friday and haven't had a drink or even a desire to drink since. I caught sight of the vodka bottle under my bed and started gagging. I just think about drinking and shiver and feel the nausea wash over me. This is actually AWESOME. The best thing that's happened to me. And I have tried medically assisted ways to quit alcohol which never worked. Yes there is such thing as booze chatter for me, and I no longer have it. This has made a 180 difference in my life for the better. Not dragging myself to work hungover every day. Spending my evenings doing hobbies and things I used to enjoy. I one hundred percent think my alcoholism and DEPRESSION/ANXIETY could actually get under control for the first time ever. Yes I believe that this drug helps my psychotropic drugs do what they're supposed to do for my depression. And obsessive thoughts. Anyway. I'm a believer.” Link

“One of the biggest obstacles in my weight loss endeavors was my nightly drinks. Just could not seem to give them up, despite knowing the negative effect they had on my overall wellbeing. Although I never classified myself as an alcoholic, I did recognize that my coping mechanisms for chronic anxiety were largely dependent on that nightly 2-3 drinks after the kids went to bed. That said, when I started Sema at the end of September, I was also committed to changing the role alcohol played in my life as part of a total hormonal balance non inflammation reset. The habit became, overnight, suddenly easy to give up. The attachment I felt to curb my anxiety somehow at the end of the day all but vanished. Sure could I override it and still choose to drink? Yes. But the meds sever the subconscious attachment and driver to a specific coping mechanism. I am just as satisfed having fizzy water with lime. This medication is truly changing and improving my overall quality of life and I am grateful.” Link

“My pretty problematic drinking has reduced to very little comparatively. If my husband didn’t drink I probably wouldn’t at all. It’s just not that interesting to me in the first place now and then secondly I am not consuming quickly and mindlessly like before. I’ll drink half a glass and then literally Saran Wrap it and put in the fridge. Compare this to being a nightly bottle of wine-plus drinker before… And this effect happened IMMEDIATELY. It’s probably more consequential for my health than anything!” Link

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Big Reductions in Desire to Drink

“Booze noise is absolutely a thing. And it is ABSOLUTELY GONE. Period. I almost want to cry typing this…I haven’t had a drink since October 26, 2023. Miracle! I tried one quick swig of raspberry vodka (don’t ask-lol) on November 20 and it tasted like pure gasoline. That’s it.

Started compounded semaglutide on October 18 at the usual .25 dose. Had several White Claw seltzers the following week and then literally started to lose interest. Unbelievable! This is the longest I’ve gone without a drink in probably more than 22 years.” - Anonymous DM

“In my case I would say both. Prior to sema I felt a mild euphoria 2-3 drinks in, but that's totally gone now. I also don't feel as intoxicated, like I don't feel carefree like I normally would and it doesn't positively affect my emotions to drink anymore, so doing it as stress relief or social lubrication just don't work as well making it feel pointless. I just don't want it much anymore. I can still have a date night beer or 2 with my husband once a week, but my nightly 2-4 glasses of wine are out and I do not miss them or want any. It took probably 10-15 days on the lowest dose before I noticed a difference.” Link

“My main motivation for getting on semaglutide was the anecdotal reports of reduced alcohol consumption. It’s worked for me, I’ve hardly had a drink since I started. It’s life changing. As long as I have access to it I will be taking it. Even if it causes thyroid cancer or stomach paralysis or whatever, any of those outcomes are better than alcoholism.” Link

“I love drinking. I absolutely do. There's nothing better to me than a summer night outside listening to some live music with your friends enjoying a few beverages. But I just can't anymore. It doesn't make me physically ill at all, my brain just says, "Nope, you're done." I can't even explain it because I want to drink but I'm just completely done after one or two. It's kind of annoying if I'm being honest but I definitely wouldn't go backwards and am extremely grateful for Monjouro.” Link

“I tried to have a cocktail after starting Mounjaro. I didn't get any buzz from it at all, so I said "why bother?". Now I don't drink at all and don't miss it.” Link

“Yeah I started recently (only 2 weeks in). I was drinking with family on Easter and I literally couldn’t get a buzz which was unusual for me. Haven’t drank all week bc no desire.” Link

“I’m only day 4 of taking it but yes absolutely, no cravings for alcohol whatsoever now hope it lasts!” Link

“I can confidently say it helped with my alcohol addiction.” Link

“I haven’t drank in five and a half months. This stuff has so many benefits.” Link

“I noticed the effect it’s had on my desire for alcohol. Two drinks and I’m like meh…. Lucky if I even finish the second one. My craving for alcohol is all but gone too! And I used to drink drink like a fish (binge drinking mostly). I’m liking this effect!” Link

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People Who Noticed Additional Effects

“All alcohol smells like pee, I can not drink it at all. Not one sip since Oct 2022. I have never taken any other drugs. I am not as much of a workaholic as I once was.” Link

“Honest to god Wegovy has helped me stop drinking almost completely, reduce unnecessary spending (not fully but am only on 1.7mg atm), reduce eating, and reduce compulsive cannabis use. This has all been pretty much effortless.

I can easily say just for these benefits alone I hope to use and have access to GLP-1’s for the rest of my life.” Link

“I am taking Saxenda, which is similar to Wegovy and Ozempic. From personal experience, I had issues with drinking too much. This medication has caused me to not crave alcohol. The food cravings are very diminished. I've also cut down my shopping to low buy. For me, I'd get into trouble with impulsivity on shopping. I've been practicing to retrain my thoughts to second guess or actually plan any purchase I make. I'm finding it to be a lot easier to do that now. Maybe the medication helps, maybe it's just coinciding with my desire to break my shopping addiction. Either way, it's a theory that is worth studying further. Link

“I planned on taking a break from alcohol when I began semaglutide mainly because I don't lose weight when I drink (empty calories and it affects willpower w/me). So I stopped drinking the day of my first shot. But OMG I cannot believe I've never been tempted. I used to drink daily. Not just when I went out, but at home. I have not desire to drink. My impulse shopping has also slowed. I truly believe there is truth to this helping addicts!” Link

“I’m an ex-heavy drinker, who has been sober for almost three years. As part of that journey, I’ve been on medical cannabis for the past 2 years. Been taking Semaglutide for 3 months now and, anecdotally, it’s definitely decreased my usage to two or three puffs a night on the medical vape. It’s a bit of a miracle treatment for me; I’ve lost a lot of weight, my blood pressure is good, and I’m not relying on any other drugs at all now. Been a real eye opener.” Link

“I would play 8-10 hours a day of videogames on weekends. Week days I'd get off work and fit 5-6 a day in. I have not played a game in a week, and haven't put in more than a few hours in over the past 2 months. Just don't feel like it anymore.” Link

“Before starting semaglutide I could easily drink a bottle of wine a night. My wine fridge was always empty. Now I have 6 bottles of wine waiting for me to pick up from my wine club (which I recently reduced my membership significantly) and my wine fridge is busting.

I also would smoke several bowls of marijuana every night and have been finding myself not even finishing a single bowl most nights.

My impulse shopping is way down and obviously my impulse Uber eats ordering has plummeted.

Since I upped my dosage to 2.4mg my anxiety has also significantly dropped off too.” Link

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Mixed Effects for Some People

“I have opiate use disorder and am on methadone maintenance. I've not had any decrease in cravings but noticed the warm glow from a dose increase was very muted with Ozempic, and was pretty much gone with mounjaro and I've even had to increase my methadone for the first few weeks when I increase my mounjaro dose sometimes or I have minor withdrawal symptoms. The delay in gastric emptying is likely causing some methadone to be destroyed by stomach acids I believe. We know these drugs can block absorption of birth control and other oral drugs to a degree.” Link

“Im(46m) a recovering alcoholic/benzo dependent. I'd unsuccessfully tryed to get sober for 15 years. Semiglutide changed my life. I'm now sober over 2 years, I've lost over 100lbs, dropped a1c 4 points, and resolved all metabolic issues including fatty liver. Furthermore, that little demon that made alcohol an attractive option is gone.

Please don't misunderstand. I 100% still think about alcohol sometimes, but it's like thinking of food when im full or just threw up.

Since taking semaglutide it's like I've muted my physical cravings, which allows me to handle my mental cravings more effectively.

So from my perspective this this medication makes a great tool. My sobriety still takes discipline, but this makes me feel more in control.” Link

“I can certainly attest to this. As someone who was drinking 3 bottles of wine up to 5 nights a week, my relationship with it has completely changed. I am somewhat of an oddity when it comes to alcohol. I have been drinking regularly and steadily more and more over the last 10 years but physically I do not experience much withdrawal when I stop (only some sweating at night). Given how much I have drank over the years, I find it very strange. A lot of my addiction seems to be habit based. I cannot say that the drug has helped with that as I still think about alcohol and have the urge to have a drink. What it has done is when a drink is in front of me it has taken away the desire to drink it. Some nights I have had as little as one sip and tipped it away a few hours later. The most I get through is a small glass. It truly is the oddest thing and I'm loving my new relationship with alcohol. I just hope if I ever come off Sema that I can keep it up!” Link

“Bruh, I’ve been on 1 month after being sober 4 mos, I acquired semaglutide glp-1 from a trusted peptide vendor. This last month has been, by far, the easiest month of sobriety in my cumulative couple years of sobriety time/attempts… I am up to .5mg every 4 or 5 days and it feels like a perfect balance… I have put myself in situations where I def would have relapsed in the past and I had zero desire whatsoever… Thanks for putting this message out and I’m here for you if you need support!” Link

“I have similar experience. Started Sema right after Christmas and as a recent Grad my relationship w/ alcohol was terrible. I don't have the desire to drink just because anymore and only for social gatherings. I've lost so much weight in my face and believe my tolerance is coming back!” Link

“It might. I was a two handle a week drinker for a few years. Daily drinker for more than a decade. 1 month into Sema, I quit cold turkey for four months. Moved off Sema and now drinking but much more controlled. Not ideal but. Drinking a dew days a week (as for harm reduction it is a real plus.) It also greatly helped me reduce addictive eating habits (down 80 lbs.)” Link

Have you or a loved one seen or not seen any effect on drinking from taking a GLP-1? Please comment on this post, we’d love to hear your experience.

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