Recent research suggests that weight-loss medications like Ozempic, produced by Denmark’s Novo Nordisk, may significantly decrease opioid and alcohol dependency rates by as much as 50%. This finding highlights the potential of these medications to offer benefits beyond merely managing weight and diabetes.

The study, published in the scientific journal Addiction, examined data from over 500,000 individuals with histories of either opioid use disorder (OUD) or alcohol use disorder (AUD).

The findings revealed that patients taking GLP-1 and GIP medications experienced a 40% reduction in OUD rates and a 50% decrease in AUD rates. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic, along with Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, work by mimicking the effects of the gut hormone GLP-1, which helps regulate blood sugar levels and suppress appetite. Mounjaro additionally targets another hormone, GIP.

Approved in the U.S. and Europe for treating diabetes and obesity, these medications have gained immense popularity, resulting in shortages. According to the study authors, the prescriptions are linked to reduced instances of opioid overdoses and alcohol intoxication among individuals with OUD and AUD.

The protective benefits of these drugs were found to be consistent across various demographic groups, including those with coexisting Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

This development comes at a time when substance abuse rates are surging in the United States. In 2021, drug overdose fatalities reached 107,000, a staggering increase from the 18,000 reported in 1999. Opioids accounted for over 75% of these deaths in 2021, a trend that has intensified since the introduction of OxyContin by Purdue Pharma in 1996, which was aggressively marketed, making the company and the Sackler family notorious figures in the ongoing crisis.

The researchers emphasized the need for effective treatments for substance use disorders (SUD) like OUD and AUD, which are increasingly prevalent and harmful to public health.

Additionally, GLP-1 medications have shown promise in addressing other health issues. For example, liraglutide, another GLP-1 drug from Novo Nordisk, marketed as Victoza and Saxenda, has been found to potentially slow cognitive decline in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 18% after one year of treatment compared to a placebo, according to research from Imperial College London presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia.

In April, Eli Lilly announced that two late-stage trials assessing a 10 mg or 15 mg injection of Zepbound, aimed at weight loss, demonstrated up to a two-thirds reduction in sleep apnea severity among adults with obesity and obstructive sleep apnea.

Further studies are exploring additional applications for these medications, including treatment for fatty liver disease, kidney disease, and heart disease.

On Thursday, Novo Nordisk’s U.S.-traded shares rose by 0.6%, showing a 16% increase year-to-date, while Eli Lilly’s stock also increased by 0.6%, with a remarkable 58% gain this year. In contrast, the S&P 500 has risen by 22%.

A recent study involving over 600,000 children and adolescents suggests that teens may face a heightened risk of developing type 2 diabetes following a COVID-19 infection.

The study, conducted by Dr. Pauline Terebuh and her team from Case Western Reserve University, found that adolescents aged 10 to 19 had a 55% increased likelihood of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes one month after contracting COVID-19, compared to those who had other respiratory infections. This risk remained elevated at three months (48% higher) and six months (58% higher) after infection, according to findings published in JAMA Network Open.

“Youth diagnosed with diabetes will bear the consequences for years, facing complications and increased medical costs,” Dr. Terebuh told MedPage Today, stressing the importance of addressing all potential factors contributing to this concerning trend, including COVID-19 and rising rates of obesity.

There is growing evidence that COVID-19, now considered endemic, may impact pancreatic β cells, potentially leading to impaired insulin production. While type 2 diabetes is typically linked to insulin resistance, the researchers noted that in newly diagnosed patients, the cause could involve more complex mechanisms, possibly triggered by the viral infection.

This study adds to a growing body of research on the link between COVID-19 and diabetes in youth, though earlier studies primarily focused on type 1 diabetes. The pandemic also brought significant lifestyle changes for young people, from altered food access to reduced physical activity, and elevated stress levels, which may have contributed to the rise in diabetes diagnoses.

The study analyzed electronic health records of 613,602 patients, half of whom were diagnosed with COVID-19 between January 2020 and December 2022. None had a prior diagnosis of diabetes. The data showed that in adolescents with a body mass index (BMI) indicating overweight or obesity, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes after COVID-19 was even higher:

• 1 month post-infection: Risk was double compared to those with other respiratory infections.
• 3 months post-infection: Risk remained nearly double.
• 6 months post-infection: Risk was more than twice as high.

Furthermore, teens who were hospitalized within a month of their COVID-19 diagnosis were at the highest risk of developing type 2 diabetes:

• 1 month post-hospitalization: Risk was over three times higher.
• 3 months post-hospitalization: Risk was almost three times higher.
• 6 months post-hospitalization: Risk remained more than twice as high.

The researchers acknowledged that some of the diabetes diagnoses may have predated the COVID-19 infection but were only discovered during the medical encounter. It is also possible that some patients only experienced temporary hyperglycemia due to the metabolic stress from the infection. Additional follow-up would be needed to confirm whether these patients meet the diagnostic criteria for type 2 diabetes long-term.

Other limitations of the study included the inability to account for variables such as vaccination status, socioeconomic factors, BMI, and insulin resistance. Researchers also did not control for treatments specific to obesity, which could have influenced the outcomes.

Dr. Terebuh and her team emphasized the importance of continued research into new treatments for both diabetes and obesity, such as GLP-1 receptor antagonists, which may play a role in managing this emerging health challenge.