Weight loss jabs slash alcohol hospitalisations by 60%, new study finds

Published: 23:30, 21 July 2026 | Updated: 23:35, 21 July 2026 Using a weight loss jab like Ozempic slashes the risk of alcohol poisoning by up to 65 per cent, new research suggests. US experts analysed data on more than 40,000 adults with a history of alcoholism, including those who had recently started taking the blockbuster jabs. They compared the rates of alcohol-related hospitalisations among weight loss jab users with those who'd never injected the drug. The researchers said the jabs appeared to be more effective at preventing booze-induced illness than existing drugs used to treat alcohol addiction. Studies have previously noted the benefits of the drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, for those struggling with alcoholism. It's thought the drugs may help curb alcohol cravings by quietening the brain's reward system, which is involved in both over-eating and addiction.  The study, published in the British Medical Journal, looked at how taking a GLP-1 medication affected the likelihood of being hospitalised as a result of alcohol. The team - spearheaded by experts at the University of Washington - ran four separate trials, each designed to reflect a different real-world scenario.  Research has already suggested that weight loss jabs may help reduce alcohol intake   Your browser does not support iframes. They found that people with type 2 diabetes who were taking the jabs were 63 per cent less likely to be hospitalised for alcohol-related reasons than those taking standard alcohol-addiction drugs.  Compared with other diabetes drugs, the jabs were associated with up to a 26 per cent lower risk of an alcohol-related hospital visit.  Among those using the jabs for obesity, hospitalisation was around a third less likely when compared to other obesity treatments.  Meanwhile, obese patients who were receiving treatment for their drinking problem were 65 per cent less likely to be hospitalised for booze-related reasons if they were on the jabs.  The researchers concluded these drugs could play a role in treating alcohol use disorder, reducing the risk of hospitalisation among people with a history of addiction. The jabs, known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s), help people feel fuller by mimicking the natural appetite-suppressing hormone released after eating.  Common brands include Wegovy for weight loss and Ozempic for diabetes, both of which contain the active ingredient semaglutide.  Mounjaro, which contains tirzepatide, is also widely used for weight loss, helping users lose up to 20 per cent of their body weight. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Dr Marie Spreckley, an expert in weight management from the University of Cambridge who wasn't involved in the study, said the findings add to 'growing observational evidence' that GLP-1s may influence alcohol-related behaviour.  However, she cautioned: 'More trials are needed before [the jabs] can be considered an evidence-based treatment for alcohol use disorder.' The authors also acknowledged that because the findings were observational, they  could not account for differences in the severity of participants' alcohol-use disorder. The findings are the latest in a growing body of research suggesting weight-loss drugs may have benefits beyond obesity.  A 2025 study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry found semaglutide cut the amount of alcohol people drank by 40 per cent and dramatically reduced people's desire to drink.  Another study published earlier this year suggested weight-loss jabs could slash the risk of becoming addicted to alcohol, cigarettes and illicit drugs by up to a quarter.  It comes as alcohol-related deaths have finally begun to fall in the UK after years of record highs. Official figures show there were 9,809 alcohol-specific deaths in the UK in 2024. This is down 6.4 per cent from 2023 figures, when there were 10,473 alcohol-specific deaths, the highest number on record. Excessive alcohol use remains one of the leading causes of preventable deaths in the US, with more than 178,000 attributable deaths every year.  In England, the cost of alcohol abuse is estimated to be in excess of £27billion a year, according to the Institute of Alcohol Studies.   Alcohol-use disorder – also known as alcoholism – is used to describe drinking alcohol in a way that is harmful.  Signs of a problem include regularly drinking more than intended, difficulty stopping or reducing alcohol intake and feeling guilty or remorseful after drinking.  Meanwhile, an estimated 1.6 million people are thought to be using weight loss jabs, with many more expected to access the weight loss pill which was approved for use in the UK in June.  But the NHS cannot currently prescribe GLP-1 drugs to treat addiction. Even when purchased privately, they can only be given to those patients who are classed as severely overweight.