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GLP-1 receptor agonists are among the active ingredients in so-called weight-loss injections. Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, they are now also used to treat severe obesity. In recent years, studies have provided evidence that they may also reduce the consumption of alcohol and other substances. However, it has not been clear whether these potential effects persist after the medication is discontinued.
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According to a large Swedish registry study involving the Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), people with type 2 diabetes were hospitalized less frequently for alcohol or substance use disorders while undergoing treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists. For the first time, researchers examined how the observed associations changed after the medication was discontinued. They found that the reduction in alcohol-related hospitalizations was still detectable for up to 6 months after treatment ended but was no longer evident after 12 months. The results are published in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry.
Data from more than 167,000 people analyzed
For the current study, researchers analyzed health registry data from 167,026 people with type 2 diabetes in Sweden. This made the study one of the largest to date on this topic. The researchers compared periods during which the same individuals were treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists with periods during which they received no treatment. They also examined the first six months and the period from six to 12 months after discontinuing the medication.
Effects not statistically significant after treatment ends
During treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists, alcohol- and substance-related hospitalizations were less frequent than during treatment-free periods. For alcohol-related hospitalizations, this association remained statistically significant during the first six months after treatment ended. However, during the period from six to 12 months after discontinuation, there was no longer statistically significant evidence of the previously observed reduction in hospitalization rates. For substance-related hospitalizations, the researchers found no statistically significant associations after discontinuation, either in the first six months or during the period from six to 12 months.
Careful clinical follow-up recommended after treatment ends
"Until now, little was known about how the observed associations develop after treatment ends. Our results suggest that they do not persist and that they diminish within a year," says Dr. Patrick Bach, research group leader at the Central Institute of Mental Health and lead author of the study. "The findings suggest that the potential effects of this class of drugs on addiction-related behaviors appear to be reversible."
The researchers see the results as an indication that the period following the end of treatment warrants special attention. "The data underscore the importance of careful monitoring and follow-up of patients after the end of treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists," Bach emphasizes.
No conclusions about cause and effect
The researchers point out that this is an observational study. The results therefore do not allow conclusions about cause and effect. Furthermore, the study included only people with type 2 diabetes. Further studies are needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms and the potential implications of these findings for the treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders.
More information: Patrick Bach et al, Association of GLP-1 receptor agonists with alcohol use disorder-related and substance use disorder-related hospital admissions during treatment and after discontinuation: a Swedish register-based within-individual observational study, The Lancet Psychiatry (2026). DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(26)00172-0
Provided by Central Institute of Mental Health
This story was originally published on Medical Xpress.
