TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – What you may know as the latest weight loss drug craze could help in the fight against drug addiction.

GLP-1 medications, like Ozempic and Wegovy, mimic the body’s natural hormones that regulate blood sugar and insulin levels. They are used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.

These medications reduce cravings for high-calorie foods, helping users eat less.

A new studypublished in the journal Addiction showed that it could also be used to reduce cravings for opioids and alcohol in people struggling with drug addiction.

“Since these receptors exist in different parts of the body, like the brain, there might be options or possibilities in the future to use them for other types of conditions,” said Laura Anglim, prescriber of OTP for the Zepf Center.

Anglim said it’s exciting and helps raise awareness that addiction is a chronic illness.

“Often there’s a lot of stigma around how we view addiction and view it more as a moral issue rather than a physiological issue,” Anglim said.

The study did not prove that these medications directly reduced the risk of opioid overdose and alcohol poisoning, but they appeared to help. Those who took the drug were 40% less likely to overdose on opioids and 50% less likely to get drunk than those who did not take the drug.

Although some of these GLP-1s are approved by the FDA to treat diabetes and obesity, they are not approved to treat substance use disorders.

“While these results are exciting, there is still much work to be done,” Anglim said.

Experts recommend that you talk to your doctor before taking these medications.

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