Study: G-L-P-1’s could help with addiction

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The addiction crisis in America is a public health issue. About 49 million Americans over 12 live with a substance abuse disorder. That's more than 17 percent of the population.

Now, there is potential hope out there, thanks to a new study that suggests popular weight loss drugs called G_L_P-1's may be able to help treat addiction.

Researchers studied about three years of health records for more than 600,000 veterans with type 2 diabetes. They were treated with either G-L-P-1 medicines or another type of medication. Researchers found those who took the weight loss drugs were less likely to develop substance use orders, compared to those who took the other class of medication.

Those who took the medicines were also less likely to have bad outcomes, like a drug overdose, if they'd already been diagnosed with a substance use disorder. For those struggling with addiction, this could be a life changer.

This study was just released in the journal B_M_J, and authors say more research is needed. To read the BMJ article, click here: Metabolic medicines and addiction: what GLP-1 receptor agonists might add to substance use care | The BMJ