Weight Loss Drugs Saved This 38-Year-Old From Alcoholism… Researchers Now Say GLP-1s Could Revolutionize Addiction Treatment

Joe Breen never expected a weight-loss drug to save him from alcoholism.

But that’s exactly what happened when the 38-year-old Massachusetts resident started taking Wegovy in April 2023.

His story is part of a growing wave of anecdotal evidence suggesting that GLP-1 medications—drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound—may be revolutionary in treating alcohol use disorder.

And while these drugs aren’t FDA-approved for addiction treatment, thousands of people are reporting life-changing results that have researchers racing to understand how these medications could reshape addiction medicine.

The Wake-Up Call

Standing at the top of his staircase in late 2021, Breen was wobbling precariously with a broom, trying to clear a spider web from the ceiling.

What he didn’t know was that his wife was recording him from below—capturing footage of a clearly impaired man who had already consumed most of a bottle of vodka that day.

That was the first time I really saw from the outside in. I’m slurring every word I’m trying to say. In my head I’m fully comprehensible—full sentences, everything’s good. But then I realize I’m speaking complete gibberish.

At 5’8″ and 330 pounds, Breen had always been a big guy. Drinking had never been a “problem” until the pandemic hit.

Working as an emergency medical dispatcher while raising a daughter with autism created enormous stress. An evening cocktail turned into two or three, then bottles.

I would have days where I’d have the day off from work, I would drop [my] kid off at school, then I’d go home and immediately make a drink for myself. I would think, Oh, well, hey, I’ve got seven hours till the kid’s home, so I got plenty of time to have a couple drinks now, sleep for a bit, and be an adult for the rest of the day.

The cycle consumed his thoughts. He constantly calculated when and how he’d have his next drink.

Following in His Father’s Footsteps

Watching that video triggered another devastating realization: Breen was repeating his father’s pattern.

My father was an alcoholic, but he was an abusive alcoholic, so I kind of always swore to myself, even though they say that stuff’s genetic, like, Oh, that’ll never happen to me. I’ll never let it get to that point.

But genetic predisposition doesn’t care about promises.

The First Attempt at Treatment

Breen initially tried to quit through willpower alone—a predictably failed approach.

I was the cliché person who said I can stop anytime I want—I don’t need to drink. I was in complete denial. I’d say, I only had one drink tonight, when really I knew it was my second or third.

His doctor then prescribed naltrexone, a medication approved for treating alcohol use disorder since 1994.

Naltrexone works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, reducing cravings and the rewarding effects of alcohol. For some people, it enables complete abstinence; for others, it simply reduces consumption.

Breen cut back significantly—from multiple bottles weekly to just a few drinks. Six months in, feeling confident, he stopped taking the medication with his doctor’s approval.

That’s when everything unraveled again.

An Unexpected Solution

Now dealing with high blood pressure, additional weight gain, and mounting relationship strain, Breen decided to address his overall health starting with weight management.

His wife had found success with Saxenda, a GLP-1 medication. Encouraged by her results, Breen’s primary care doctor prescribed Wegovy in April 2023.

He lost 20 pounds in the first month. But something else happened that he never anticipated.

His desire to drink nearly vanished.

As the medication suppressed his hunger, it simultaneously eliminated his alcohol cravings. Initially he had occasional slip-ups, but they became increasingly rare.

A Growing Phenomenon

Breen’s experience isn’t isolated. Reddit and TikTok overflow with similar stories from people whose relationships with alcohol dramatically changed after starting GLP-1 medications.

While the FDA hasn’t approved semaglutide or tirzepatide for treating alcohol use disorder, the medical community recognizes these drugs’ potential for addiction treatment—from alcohol to opioids and other substances.

This could be revolutionary. Deaths from excessive alcohol use have risen 49 percent from 2016 to 2021 alone. Meanwhile, 28.9 million Americans age 12 and older reported struggling with alcohol use disorder in the past year.

The Science Behind the Hope

GLP-1 agonists mimic a natural hormone that helps manage diabetes and weight by releasing insulin, slowing digestion, and increasing fullness.

In the brain, GLP-1 interacts with the hypothalamus, which regulates hunger and other functions. By activating receptors in this area, GLP-1 influences “reward behavior”—affecting how we experience pleasure from food and, potentially, alcohol.

The medical community first became interested in GLP-1s for alcohol addiction after the drugs proved effective for obesity in 2014.

Since consuming food and alcohol both involve cellular interaction with carbohydrates, people with alcohol use disorder often struggle with carbohydrate addiction too. The inability to stop eating despite being full parallels the compulsion driving binge drinking.

What Research Shows

Studies over the past decade have delivered promising results:

• Early animal studies (2015): Demonstrated GLP-1s reduced alcohol dependence in rodents and monkeys
• NIH study (80,000+ patients): People receiving semaglutide had 50 percent lower risk of alcohol use disorder diagnosis and 60 percent reduced risk of recurring AUD compared with those not receiving the drug
• Denmark study (2022): GLP-1s significantly reduced alcohol consumption within three months, though lifestyle changes may have contributed
• UNC trial (Summer 2024): First randomized controlled trial showed semaglutide patients reduced drinking quantity and heavy drinking episodes more than placebo group
• Recent analysis (817,309 patients): Those taking GLP-1s experienced lower rates of alcohol intoxication

The Pharmaceutical Companies Stay Quiet

Despite growing evidence, drug manufacturers remain cautiously noncommittal.

Novo Nordisk told Men’s Health via email that while they welcome independent research, none of their semaglutide products are indicated for treating addiction-related illnesses. Their clinical studies weren’t designed to assess effectiveness on alcohol use disorder.

Eli Lilly responded similarly, stating they collect data about potential benefits beyond current indications but provided no specifics about internal research or plans.

Not a Silver Bullet

According to Dr. Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry and addiction medicine at Stanford University and author of Dopamine Nation, addiction treatment requires addressing biological, psychological, and sociological factors.

Naltrexone is a useful medication for some people, but it doesn’t work for others. I suspect it will be the same for GLP-1s. Some people will find them helpful for AUD. Others not.

Dr. Lembke emphasizes the need for medications working through various mechanisms to address brain diversity.

The Obesity Connection

One significant advantage of GLP-1s over existing treatments: reduced stigma.

These drugs are already widely accepted for treating diabetes and obesity, making them more socially acceptable than traditional addiction medications.

It also has this added benefit of weight loss, which is a socially incentivizing side effect that, especially for people who are overweight and alcohol addicted, may be really appealing.

Interestingly, research suggests GLP-1s may work best in people who are both obese and alcohol-dependent. A 2022 Denmark study found that while GLP-1s weren’t superior to placebo overall, obese participants showed significant reductions in heavy drinking days and total consumption.

The Long Road to FDA Approval

Researchers continue conducting clinical trials testing whether semaglutide can effectively treat alcohol use disorder.

For FDA approval, drugs must complete two large, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trials running 6 to 12 months. After reviewing results and weighing positive versus negative effects, the FDA would then decide.

This process could take years—if it happens at all.

Running clinical trials for addiction indication would cost pharmaceutical companies enormous sums. Since they already have FDA approval for other uses and doctors commonly prescribe off-label for mental health disorders, companies may lack financial incentive to pursue addiction-specific approval.

Unanswered Questions Remain

We still don’t fully understand GLP-1s’ long-term effects on the body.

Short-term side effects include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Bloating
• Rare but serious complications like bowel obstruction, pancreatitis, and stomach paralysis

Additional concerns include muscle loss during rapid weight reduction and potential relapse when patients stop taking medication—whether by choice or due to insurance changes.

A Life Transformed

Since starting Wegovy, Breen has lost a staggering 180 pounds, dropping from 330 to around 155 pounds. His BMI fell from 50 to 24.3—more than half.

The drug gave him ability to focus on exercise and talk therapy while curbing impulses to drink and overeat.

He recently completed a 5K—something previously unimaginable.

I can jog a 13:20 mile now, which I still laugh at. I’m doing a 5K in another two weeks, and I’ve already joked to my coworkers, ‘I’ll see you guys at the finish line—I’ll be the last one there.’

Today, Breen reserves drinking for social events like weddings or parties. He enjoys the social aspect without feeling compelled to continue drinking afterward.

He even keeps a bottle of Tito’s on top of his refrigerator—untouched, regardless of how difficult his day was.

The Bigger Picture

For Breen, therapy alongside Wegovy has been crucial for managing alcohol addiction. Others may need more intensive solutions like rehab.

Mental and emotional support remains critical to successful long-term recovery—an estimated two-thirds of people relapse within six months without comprehensive treatment.

Now that I have a kid—you know, the dad card thing—you look at life a lot differently. I want the world to be a better place in general, and if [these drugs] stymie alcoholism, the ripple effects that can have in society… you can’t understate how that can help across the board.

GLP-1 medications aren’t the miracle cure many hope for—at least not yet. But for people like Breen, they represent a potentially transformative piece of the addiction treatment puzzle that could reshape countless lives.

https://www.menshealth.com/health/a63012928/glp-1-drugs-alcohol-addiction-treatment/