Researchers from Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital have found that nearly half of people taking medications for weight loss and diabetes have reduced their alcohol consumption. The findings, which describe an unexpected side effect of these drugs, were published in JAMA Psychiatry.<\/p>\n
Alongside weight loss, a reduction in alcohol cravings among patients had previously been discussed only on the basis of anecdotal evidence. The new study confirms this trend at the population level. According to a survey conducted in spring 2026, 44.2% of patients who regularly consumed alcohol before starting treatment reported drinking less.<\/p>\n
The figure was even higher (54.1%) among participants considered at risk of unhealthy alcohol use. However, the authors caution the medical community against drawing premature clinical conclusions.<\/p>\n
The researchers emphasize that the study identified individuals at risk of harmful alcohol consumption, not patients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD). In addition, the study did not measure the exact extent to which participants reduced their alcohol intake.<\/p>\n
“We did not study the effectiveness of weight-loss medications in reducing alcohol consumption \u2014 that would require a randomized controlled trial. Our goal was to understand whether drinking patterns differed between people at high risk of unhealthy alcohol use and those who were not identified as being at risk,” explains study co-author Alice Busch, a professor of psychiatry.<\/p>\n
According to experts, although medications used to treat alcohol dependence, such as disulfiram, have been available since the 1940s, US national data show that only 3\u20135% of patients use them. If ongoing clinical trials confirm the effectiveness of weight-loss medications in reducing alcohol consumption, these drugs could become an important alternative in the management of alcohol dependence.<\/p>\n
It is also worth noting that public awareness remains low: only 10% of surveyed patients had heard that these medications could reduce alcohol consumption.<\/p>\n