malady:addiction

GLP1s vs. Addiction, a quick review

We trace research on GLP1s and addiction through the years and try to find studies that match the anecdotes.

GLP1.Guide Staff

GLP1.Guide Staff

— 2 min read

GLP1 Receptor Agonists aren't miracle drugs – they are a class of well-studied (but not completely understood) FDA-approved treatments for Type 2 diabetes and weight management.

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Don't know what a GLP1 Receptor Agonist is, or how drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, or Zepbound work?

Check out our quick explainer

GLP1s have proven at this point to be low risk (maybe they could be dangerous after 5-10-15-20 years of continued use, but we can't know that yet) – but what's more impressive is that we keep finding new positive side-effects.

We've covered the links between GLP1s and addiction management in the past with relation to other topics:

Eli Lilly brands GLP1s as “anti-hedonics”
Eli Lilly leans into the use of GLP1s for reducing addictive behavior, labeling them “anti-hedonics”
GLP1 GuideGLP1.Guide Staff

Covering negative side effects is arguably even more important:

Are GLP1 side effects all the same?
Do some GLP1s have less negative side effects? They work the same, but can affect you differently -- let’s look at the research.
GLP1 GuideGLP1.Guide Staff
Pancreatitis and Gallstones after massive weight loss
We look into pancreatitis and gallstones issues that caused one death and more hospitalizations, caused at least in part by GLP1s
GLP1 GuideGLP1.Guide Staff

In this article, we'll try to combine most of the relevant studied and pointers in the right direction.

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The research listed in this article is NOT all-inclusive – there are studies, research and other analysis that are not listed here that are worth reading and learning from.
  • 2021: Exenatide + Nicotine Patch reduces smoking
  • 2022: Scientists try to figure out why GLP1 may be effective
  • 2022: GLP1 reduces Opioid usage in rats
  • 2023: Analysis of social media anecdata shows Semaglutide & Tirzepatide reduce alcohol consumption for obese people
  • 2024: Analysis finds Semaglutide to increase cognitive function, and reduce nicotine use
  • 2024: An excellent long-ranging review on GLP1s and addiction
  • 2024: Small study finds opiate reduction in humans
  • 2025: Analysis suggests that Semaglutide may
  • 2025: Finally, a randomized clinical trial into Semaglutide for Alcohol Use Disorder

Want to read the research for all the points in this timeline? The rest of this article is no longer available for free – if you'd like to read the rest of our analysis, check us out on Substack:

Read the rest on Substack

Read more