I started Ozempic for weight loss and accidentally quit drinking. The science is fascinating.
So this is kind of wild and I wanted to share because I haven’t seen many people talking about it. I started Ozempic about 8 weeks ago, mainly for weight loss (down 18lbs so far!). But something totally unexpected happened – I just… stopped wanting alcohol? Like at all.
I used to have 2-3 glasses of wine most nights, sometimes more on weekends. It wasn’t a “problem” but it was definitely a habit. Now I can’t even finish one glass. It just doesn’t appeal to me anymore and when I do try to drink it makes me feel kind of gross.
I mentioned it to my doctor and she said there’s actually research showing GLP-1 medications affect the reward pathways in the brain, not just for food but for alcohol and other addictive substances too. Apparently it’s being studied for addiction treatment. Has anyone else experienced this? I’m honestly more excited about this side effect than the weight loss itself.
YES! I thought I was the only one! I’m on week 12 of Mounjaro and the same thing happened to me around week 5 or 6. I was a beer guy, easily a six pack on Friday and Saturday nights. Now I’ll open one and take two sips and just lose interest. My wife thinks it’s hilarious because I kept buying beer out of habit and now it just sits in the fridge. The science behind it makes total sense though – if it’s reducing cravings for food by messing with dopamine, why wouldn’t it do the same for alcohol?
This is so interesting to read! I’m only on week 3 of Ozempic and haven’t noticed this yet but then again I was never a big drinker to begin with. I have noticed that my cravings for sugar basically disappeared though which I’m guessing is the same mechanism you’re talking about? My doctor actually warned me about alcohol on these meds anyway because it can make the nausea worse. Curious if this effect stays long term or if your brain eventually adapts?
I had the exact opposite experience tbh. When I first started tirzepatide the nausea was pretty rough and I found that having a small amount of alcohol with dinner actually helped settle my stomach. But I’m talking like half a glass of wine, not multiple drinks. I def can’t drink the way I used to or I feel terrible the next day. The reward pathway thing is real though – I read an article about trials using semaglutide for gambling addiction and cocaine dependence. Pretty amazing if you think about it.
My psychiatrist actually brought this up before I even noticed it myself! She said she’s seen it with multiple patients on GLP-1s and there’s growing evidence for using these medications in addiction medicine. For me it wasn’t just alcohol – I also stopped biting my nails (lifelong habit) and I don’t mindlessly scroll social media as much. It’s like the whole reward-seeking behavior system got dialed down. I’m 8 months in and the effect is still there. Definitely talk to your doctor about it but yeah, you’re not imagining things.
Wow I’m so glad I’m not alone in this! Marco I’m doing the same thing with the wine bottles lol. And K8 that’s fascinating about the nail biting and social media – now that you mention it I have been on my phone less. I wonder if this is why some people say they feel less anxious on these meds? Like if your brain isn’t constantly seeking that next hit of dopamine from whatever source. Anyway def something I’m going to keep monitoring. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!