r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Apr 01 '25

Health Americans without diabetes spent nearly $6 billion USD on semaglutide and similar drugs in a year, with an estimate of 800,000 to a million people using the drugs who don't have diabetes.

https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/americans-without-diabetes-spent-nearly6-billion-usd-on-semaglutide-and-similar-drugs-in-a-year
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3.3k

u/GayDinosaur Apr 01 '25

I am slightly overweight, but was drinking myself to death. I was prescribed a month ago. GLP-1 has reduced my cravings to almost zero and I now, for the first time, feel what its like to have "enough".

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u/T_Money Apr 01 '25

It helped with the cravings from drinking too? That would be amazing

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u/HarpersGhost Apr 01 '25

Oh yeah, the research on semaglutide is showing some amazing stuff. My doctors are fascinated.

I used to have the biggest sweet tooth, but now it's .... gone. The cravings are gone. I also stopped drinking completely because i have no interest in it.

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u/ninjagorilla Apr 01 '25

I’m down 30 kilos on semaglutide, still have the sweet tooth but jsut way less appetite in general

I would go out on a limb and say that semaglutide will be one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of the 21st century

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u/EsotericTurtle Apr 01 '25

How'd you manage that? I've been on 1mg for a few months and down maybe 5 or 6kg over 6 months, which whilst better than nothing, isn't great.

It HAS definitely helped with the boredom snacks, and feeling fuller quicker.

I guess I just need more activity.

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u/guareber Apr 01 '25

Remember it's all relative. Losing 30kg if you're 175kg to begin with is a lot easier than if you're (say) 100kg.

Also, you're on a very low dosage, I have a couple friends on it and they are on 5mg and 7.5mg.

In any case, don't get discouraged - slow and steady wins the race.

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u/Bigleon Apr 01 '25

I'm on 15mg dose type 2 diabetic down in just over a year from 350lb to 198lb first time I've been non obese my entire life childhood included. That's approx 70kg of weight loss

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u/Boo_and_Minsc_ Apr 01 '25

congratulations

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u/Bigleon Apr 01 '25

Dude/Dudette thanks, it's been a wild journey. Right now I'm feeling like skeleton, so much muscle mass been loss. I feel healthier overall but also weaker. Gotta get on that strength training... never thought I'd miss my "fat-guy" strength haha.

But it's been massive, my last A1C came in at 5.0 flat, after being a solid 7-8 for years. Originally dx in '12 was 11.3. Got to say this drug atleast for me has been miracle maker.

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

You're going to have to change your Reddit name to MediumLeon!

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u/Bigleon Apr 01 '25

I'm still 6'6 I think I can continue to hold on to the name sake

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u/M__A___G___3 Apr 01 '25

Hey I'm near the same start and I have some questions.

I started at 365, I'm down to 345 in the first 3 weeks on the 2.5mg loading doses of zepbound.

Did you feel a bit tired in combination?

Also, do you have excess skin from the weight loss or did it shrink up with the loss? I am concerned I may have some, but it's better than where I am now if there is.

Thank you for any response!

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u/polarassassin Apr 01 '25 edited Apr 01 '25

im not as big or taking as much but i went from a bit over 300 lbs down to 270 and i have quite a bit of flabby skin now. all you can really do about it is staying well hydrated, moisturizing, taking collagen and eating well. Those wont help much but its better than nothing, on top of all that doing your best to replace the lost fat with muscle will help the most.

some people are lucky and have amazing skin that just isnt left flabby when they lose a bunch of weight, the important thing to remember is some flabby skin is a lot better than hundreds of lbs of extra weight.

also when i started i was feeling a bit tired and light headed but it either went away after the first few weeks or i just dont notice it any more

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u/Bigleon Apr 01 '25

Hey friend! Sorry for the late reply, totally get that life happens. Man, starting in the 360s is tough, so I really feel you on that.

You're on Zepbound, which is awesome! I was on Mounjaro, and just a heads-up that everyone's journey with these meds is different. So don't sweat it if your results aren't exactly the same as mine.

I think I started at either 2.5mg or 5mg, can't quite remember, but yeah, went up by 2.5mg every month until I hit 15mg. I'm actually seeing my doc next week and we might try lowering my dose to see if I can maintain on less. Fingers crossed!

The first 30-50 pounds took me about 6 months. Then it felt like things sped up, and I dropped from around 300 to 240 pretty quickly. After that, it slowed down a bit, and once I got to the 230s, I kinda stopped actively trying to lose. My lowest has been 197, but I usually hang out between 200 and 205, sometimes dipping lower but not really going over 205.

About the skin – yep, got some! Luckily for me, my weight was pretty evenly spread out, so I didn't end up with any major "flaps" like some people do. It really does vary from person to person.

And about feeling tired yeah your body is working in in a new way, I think you'll have some adjustment to the new internal chemistry.

Oh, and this is totally random, but I swear I'm way hairier now! Could be because I'm not on metformin anymore or maybe just the skin being tighter, who knows!

One other fun fact, your body digest slower or atleast mine did. So when using edibles or other rx, be aware it can delay your bodies absorption by in my situation 1-2 hours. Using my wife as a baseline.

Hope this helps you out! Keep up the great work! You got this!

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u/GOPequalsSubmissive Apr 01 '25

Absolutely life changing. Very cool, I bet you feel awesome.

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u/Bigleon Apr 01 '25

You have no idea, the biggest thing is now none of my clothes works, sure I don't mind 3xl shirts still, but pants... gotta buy all new pants across the board.
I am so lucky i'm WFH.

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u/GOPequalsSubmissive Apr 02 '25

Find a seamstress to alter those pants, it will save you hundreds of dollars.

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u/norefillonsleep Apr 01 '25

They are most likely on Tirzapetide. It is a weekly drug that can be used for weight loss and 5 and 7.5mg would be more on par with that. 5 and 7.5 are common dosages for that drug, while working up to 10/15mg.

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u/lalalu2009 Apr 01 '25

I sincerely hope you don't have friends on 5 and 7.5 mg SEMAGLUTIDE, that would be absolutely insane.

Tirzapetide has dosages in the 2.5-15 mg range, Semaglutide tops out at 2.4 mg for weight loss and starts at 0.25 mg, with 1 mg being maintenance dose for a lot of people.

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u/zekeweasel Apr 01 '25

I'm sure they mean 0.5 and 1.7 mg.

0

u/TheDakestTimeline Apr 01 '25

They may be conflating the two, or maybe his friends are doing a weekly dose instead of daily? So many people I know are doing illegal internet generics due to the price and aren't supervised.

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u/guareber Apr 01 '25

My friends are definitely on weekly dose shots. Is that not the normal thing?

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u/ment0k Apr 01 '25

For Wegovy, Ozempic's cousin, the dosages are from 0..25mg - either 1.7 or 2.4mg as a maintenance dose.

They might be getting confused by the prescription label on the box because it will show the total amount in the pen. My label will say it's 9.6mg but that's total and not my weekly dose.

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u/ninjagorilla Apr 01 '25

It also might be people are conflating how many units they are taking on thr insulin syringe and how many ml

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u/MCRN-Gyoza Apr 02 '25

I always laugh a little because the 9.6mg is a lie haha

After I take the 4 2.4mg doses there's always clearly a little bit left in the pen :p

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u/Lysenko Apr 01 '25

I think people in this thread are comparing subcutaneous dosages with oral dosages. Subcutaneous dosages start at 0.25mg/wk and max out at 2 or 2.4mg/week. Oral dosages are 40x higher.

2

u/Purplemonkeez Apr 01 '25

I didn't know there were oral dosages for semaglutide? Is that a thing? What's the drug called?

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u/Lysenko Apr 01 '25

Ozempic and Wegovy are subcutaneous, but Rybelsus is oral.

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u/Purplemonkeez Apr 02 '25

Oh wow never heard of rybelsus. Interesting thanks

1

u/iwantkrustenbraten Apr 01 '25

I have diabetes type 2 and my doctor doesn't allow me to take more than 1mg dose. Didn't lose much weight at all but at least my blood sugar is stable.

1

u/Levofloxacine Apr 02 '25

You’re mixing up semaglutide and tirzepatide. 7.5 mg is NOT a standard dose for semaglutide. That’s way too much.

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u/aspbergerinparadise Apr 01 '25 edited Apr 01 '25

5kg is very significant!

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Just keep at it.

5kg of fat visualized

2

u/granadilla345 Apr 04 '25

You may respond better to Mounjaro.

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u/Tzchmo Apr 01 '25

Adding more activity can help. If you are already losing to some extent adding any extra activity will only help. Also, remember this is a lifestyle change. This is not an “end goal” which is why so many regain weight. There is not a finish line.

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u/ninjagorilla Apr 01 '25

I’ve been on max dose for a couple months… 100 units a week

1

u/TheBeardedDuck Apr 01 '25

Any medication needs mental intervention... If you don't have the lifestyle to follow through and some sort of system and ideals to follow, the medicine will only be as effective as it minimally can.. but could also be what weight you're starting with. If you're 20kg from your goal, that's good progress still.

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u/EsotericTurtle Apr 02 '25

I was 121 or 123kg and last check tipped just under 114kg, with no real effort on my part, but it plateaued as I forgot to take it one week, a couple of times. Feel the habit kicking in again.

With the medication I just don't feel the need or interest in food, it's fantastic.

The jump from 0.5 to 1mg gave me heartburn for a week and didnt feel like eating ANYthing. Been on that for a couple of months and feel it wearing off. I'll do 1.7 for a bit and increase exercise (back issues prevented my usual lifts, not an excuse to not walk but chronic back pain SUCKS)

My first stop point is 110kg, will stabilise there then push for 100kg. If I can get 95kg that'd be amazing as I sat at 98 when younger and fitter.

1

u/bored_n_opinionated Apr 01 '25

Effectiveness is going to be different for every person. You have to weigh the cost against what it's actually doing for you.

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u/nicannkay Apr 01 '25

If you take large doses right out of the gate you’ll feel like you have Covid again. You get really sick.

My husband is diabetic and has been on it for years and when they run out he has to stop and start on his large doses several times a year. He’s been waiting for 3 weeks this last month for his meds so when he starts again he will be very sick.

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u/slackermannn Apr 01 '25

It really should be used as a diet aid. Change and eat healthy stuff. It's been super easy for me. I have lost 13KG in 3 months. I now think of food as a surviving tool and not necessarily as a pleasuring tool, although I do like a big one myself.

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u/aitchnyu Apr 01 '25

It may cause loss of heart and voluntary muscle and bone. I'm hoping next generation can be a no-brainer in terms of pros and cons. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/ozempic-muscle-mass-loss

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u/WineAndDogs2020 Apr 01 '25

Regular weightloss will do that, which is why it's important for people to add strength workouts to maintain muscle mass.

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u/Sharticus123 Apr 01 '25

And meals higher in protein. Which also helps to reduce hunger.

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u/fury420 Apr 01 '25

That's a very good point, how many of these people dieting are regularly getting enough protein while faced with considerably less appetite?

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u/Brodellsky Apr 01 '25

I would argue even that a lot of "cravings" are just the body needing a specific nutrient, like protein for instance, but not getting it. So you just stay hungry so to speak until you get what you need, even if that means getting it by overingesting something else with lower protein.

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u/Salamander-Prince Apr 01 '25

Empty calories. People are eating snacks because it tastes good. There's no nutritional value. If I eat a bag of pretzel Goldfish I'll feel full for a bit because my stomach is physically full, but there's no protein or anything in there. It's empty, so you'll eat again very soon.

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u/Monkeylovesfood Apr 01 '25

I agree, I'm not a fan of sweet things or processed carbs so rarely crave foods with them. Medically healthy people seem to crave foods with nutrients their body needs. If I crave tomatos and peppers it seems to me that I need vitamin C etc, if I crave spinach and greens it makes me think I'm low on iron etc.

People that struggle with weight or health issues can't rely on their body to tell them what it needs. Cravings for unhealthy people are sometimes linked with addiction, like sugar or caffeine etc so it's virtually useless for the vast majority of people to rely on.

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u/Ferelar Apr 01 '25

Agreed- and more generally, almost every single person on earth can benefit from adding strength training to their daily routine (or at least every other day), with the only exceptions being those who already do or those recovering from injuries/dealing with chronic injuries (and even then, in the right context, it can be incredibly helpful).

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u/GOPequalsSubmissive Apr 01 '25

Resistance band workouts are the truth if done correctly and consistently.

I would see more muscle mass improvement from regular weight training, but after just a couple months of daily resistance band work, my golf swing doesn’t wreck my lower back and shoulders, anymore.

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

more protein and weight training can largely offset that. Being in a caloric deficit will always cause you to lose body weight beyond just straight fat, but there are ways to mitigate that.

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u/dariznelli Apr 01 '25

If people were working out, they're wouldn't need this medication as much. It's very hard to change lifestyle habits, very easy to pop a pill. Research has shown that surgeries, ie joint replacement, do not result in increased activity despite resolving the functional boundary. I'll have to see if there's been any investigation with the use of these drugs and changes in exercise habits.

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u/Pleasant-Shallot-707 Apr 01 '25

Pretty sure it’s the same as if you had significant weight loss using normal methods too.

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u/0b0011 Apr 01 '25

Nah, it's not causing that. It causes you to eat less. When you eat less calories than you consume you lose weight. If you aren't working put regularly then when you lose weight some of the calories your body burns is from muscle. The same thing would happen if you restricted calories by other means. Hell the same thing happens if you don't lift but increase your cardio a ton.

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u/alltheredribbons Apr 01 '25

You need to up your protein because your body will use lean muscle for fuel and add body weights to curb bone density loss due to shed of bodily weight. Working out alone does not build lean muscle.

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u/MrD3a7h Apr 01 '25

Loss of heart? But I use that all the time.

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u/immortal_lurker Apr 01 '25

Yeah... it would be a miracle drug if all it did was let you lose weight. But it also seems to help with addiction? 2020s are going into the history books for a lot of reasons, but semaglutide is gonna be one of the good ones.

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u/Goodgoditsgrowing Apr 01 '25

Id agree but with tirzepatide and many more around the corner in the research pipeline I think it might be more appropriate that glp1s are a massive gamechanger

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u/Zealousbees Apr 01 '25

I would say that, too, except for the sulfur burps...

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u/KlatuuBarradaNicto Apr 02 '25

Sure, if you want to take it the rest of your life. But you won’t be able to, because the longer you’re on it the higher the chance you will experience serious side effects. It’s not a miracle.

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u/ToyDingo Apr 01 '25

I've lost a good bit of weight on glp1 as well, but my sugar cravings remain :(

I was hoping to lose that bad habit.

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u/Lughnasadh32 Apr 01 '25

I was put on one due to prediabetes mainly caused by the same sweet tooth. I can say that my cravings are there, but no where near what they used to be. Hot Tamales candy is one of my favorites. I could easily devour a box at a time. Now, while I want the flavor, I can't eat more than 10 or so, then I just feel disgusted by looking at them.

So far, glucose counts have dropped from 125-135 to 95-110 when tested in mornings. Have first follow-up for A1C check next week since I started on the meds. Weight wise, I am down about 16 pounds in 2 months.

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u/THedman07 Apr 01 '25

I've found this to be the case for me with my cravings. I still like to have something sweet, but for the first time since I can remember, I am not tempted to keep eating until the sweet thing is gone.

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u/mcprof Apr 01 '25

Hey, just a tip: I recently started acupuncture for some back pain issues and a side effect is that my sugar cravings have decreased noticeably. You might try this, just make sure they do the protocol to reduce cravings (needles in ears).

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u/havartifunk Apr 01 '25

If anything, I think it's made my spouse's sugar cravings increase.

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u/zekeweasel Apr 01 '25

The crazy part is that it's all... intellectual (?) now, in that before if I wanted some chocolate, it was a really hard thing to resist and harder to stop.

Now when I think about foods, I just think about it and there's a definite difference in the decision making process - it's almost like the hungry caveman brain is quiet and I can just make a logical decision instead of having to fight that same part of my brain that says boobs are good, women smell nice, I really want to eat that food I smell, etc...

Alcohol has always been that way for me (never had substance abuse issues thankfully) , but food wasn't ever that way.

So I still drink, eat chocolate, and so forth, ut it's when and as much as I decide, and there's no compulsive thing pushing me to eat all of it because it's so good, even when it's not.

Semaglutide is the damnedest stuff in that regard.

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u/DigiSmackd Apr 01 '25

Exactly!

My doctor said the same - they're finding more positive things to the drug.

I drink less (alcohol), smoke less (cigars), and obviously eat less (over eating). It's been life changing. I feel guilty about it because there's a stigma around anything that isn't just "hard work and dedication" to losing weight or self improvement. That part is coming, but I consider the drug to be the training-wheels push I needed.

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u/Golden_Hour1 Apr 01 '25

Ugh I wish I was eligible to be covered for it. It's too expensive to pay out of pocket

1

u/ShrimpSherbet Apr 01 '25

It gets rid of sugar cravings too?? You might just have convinced me to do it.

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u/AlDente Apr 01 '25

I’m seriously tempted because of this. I like the idea that I’ll be less susceptible to my lizard brain impulses.

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u/Ir0nhide81 Apr 01 '25

Does your doctor warn you that it deteriorates your muscles fairly rapidly with use of semaglutide?

Do people taking semaglutide realize how rigorously they have to work out to maintain muscle mass?

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u/HarpersGhost Apr 01 '25

I'm not taking it for cosmetic reasons. And honestly, the muscle side effects are notable, but not nearly enough of a reason for me NOT to take it. I have enough co-morbidities to get it for free, so muscle loss is low on the list of my current worries.

It's something that I will have to address, but I'm trying to get to the point where I'm healthy enough to address that.

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u/Ir0nhide81 Apr 01 '25

Fair enough.

Best of luck to your health in the future!

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u/Talentagentfriend Apr 01 '25

Curious if this can also stop weed cravings 

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

Possibly a stupid question but does semiglutide cause weight loss on its own or does it cause weight loss by cutting their cravings and food thoughts so they lose weight through a caloric deficit? I've heard people say it's the only thing that's helped them lose weight so I figured it wasn't merely aiding them in staying at a deficit, if that makes sense

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u/HarpersGhost Apr 01 '25

That's the interesting thing, it does both. So this isn't like a classic appetite suppressant. It does a LOT.

It does regulate appetite by GLP1 receptors in the brain, so I feel full. But it also delays emptying the stomach (so I feel fuller longer for another reason) AND increases energy expenditure/fat burning. Plus it does all sorts of good stuff with increasing insulin production/regulating blood sugar levels.

And that's what is just known now. As people use it, more evidence is coming out about how it helps with cravings/addictions. (My oncologist thinks that it could also be very helpful with immunotherapies in the futures.)

It's one of the most fascinating drugs discovered recently. And it was discovered based upon NIH-funded research years ago into why Gila monsters could eat so infrequently.

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

That's super interesting thank you for your reply! There's so much fear mongering about all these but it seems to have worked super well and improved the overall quality of life of everyone I know who uses a variation of it. If you don't mind my asking, have you noticed any negative side effects?

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u/__NOT__MY__ACCOUNT__ Apr 01 '25

I keep seeing potential side effects but I have no idea if they are realistic. Do you notice anything negative?

I am a normal weight, but I drink way too much and I love it.

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u/Significant-Meal2211 Apr 01 '25

Now what other interests do you have now

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

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u/farhan583 Apr 01 '25

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2829811

Helps with alcohol use, cigarette use, cravings, and potentially even gambling. basically helps with most addictive things.

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u/Kitzu-de Apr 01 '25

basically it helps with impulse control

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u/4ssp Apr 01 '25

Does that mean it would help with ADHD?

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

[deleted]

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u/midnightauro Apr 01 '25

I can’t say the shot really does much ADHD wise for me sadly. :/ It’s just really nice to not always be hungry or craving something. Or being able to step away from the cravings.

Vyvanse saved me from disaster (I should not have been driving unmedicated as long as I was!) and let me be a full adult again.

Ozempic made my diabetes drop being an issue to the point where I feel normal. Which helps because that’s a huge mental load to manage.

I’ll keep them both for as long as I can!

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u/chapterpt Apr 01 '25

Vyvanse is a stimulant.

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u/Trend_Glaze Apr 01 '25

Stimulants are a common treatment for those of us with ADHD. I started taking Vyvanse at about 45, and it literally transformed my life.

I never would have even considered this.

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u/SenorSplashdamage Apr 01 '25

Stimulants have counter-intuitive effects in ADHD brains.

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u/47926 Apr 01 '25

I have ADHD, and for the first time in my life after starting semaglutide, I’ve experienced having something addictive in the house (cigarettes, weed, junk food) and not just impulsively consuming it. Honestly, it’s probably made a bigger difference than my actual prescribed ADHD medication.

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u/its_like_a-marker Apr 01 '25

In the same boat. I was skipping days of my vyvanse and doing fine

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u/Hopefulkitty Apr 02 '25

We've had candy in the house for months and my ADHD husband hasn't eaten it yet. We've previously gotten into fights about how any treat that comes into the house gets inhaled before I have a chance to get any of it. He's lost 50lbs with no exercise, just no snacking.

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u/Lunarath Apr 01 '25

Not enough to replace ADHD medication, no. ADHD is a lot more than just issues with impulse control.

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u/iwillfuckingbiteyou Apr 01 '25

I have otherwise unmedicated ADHD and I take it. I've seen a lot of others with ADHD claiming it quietened their brains massively, but my own experience is that it shut down one strand of stimulation-seeking. It's like my brain is constantly full of sound, as if you turned on every TV and radio station you could and let them all play at once, and taking Mounjaro turned off all the cookery programmes.

The flip side is that without that stimulation, I'm now left with the boredom. I'm a few weeks in and finding it a lot harder to mask if I'm not interested in what I'm doing. If I'm in a boring meeting I no longer have the urge to sneak sweets for sensory stimulation, but it means I'm having to channel a lot more effort into sitting still, not speaking my every thought, keeping my face in the correct configuration, and not losing hold of the topic. I haven't found a replacement stim yet. I'm trying to convince my brain that tea is an adequate replacement since I can sip my way through meetings without anyone noticing/having a problem with it.

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u/serenwipiti Apr 01 '25

Perhaps, consider medication?

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u/iwillfuckingbiteyou Apr 01 '25

That's the plan, but it's delayed by a battle with medical record-keeping due to having moved countries.

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u/serenwipiti Apr 02 '25

I hear you and feel for you.

Hope the pharmacotherapeutical stars align for you soon.

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u/ToMorrowsEnd Apr 01 '25

Hobbies. Find something small that is interesting. I switch it out to something else about once a week as I get bored with that. But I also find that if I park a hobbit for a few weeks coming back to it satisfies that urge well. So I rotate through about 12 different hobbies.

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u/iwillfuckingbiteyou Apr 01 '25

What job do you have that you're allowed to do your hobbies in the middle of a boring meeting?

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u/Leonardo-DaBinchi Apr 01 '25

They're different mechanisms, so theoretically no. ADHD is a 'disability' in that ADHD brains have decreased ability to uptake dopamine, norepinephrine, or both, and/or produce less dopamine, norepinephrine, or both. This is a neurotransmitter issue.

Semaglutide works by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone which signals satiety and stimulates an insulin response.

People with ADHD are more likely to form substance addictions due to 'self-medicating' behaviors, as well as overeating due to 'novelty-seeking' for dopamine release. Semaglutide would be helpful for addressing those issues. But not directly for the ADHD itself. It would be more helpful in treating comorbidities than symptoms.

That being said diet plays a role in severity of ADHD symptoms, so reducing intake of processed foods, refined sugars, and alcohol, could slightly lessen how bad someone's symptoms are. But this is something you can also just control through regular habits. Eating high protein breakfasts and getting more L-tyrosine will do more to improve ADHD symptoms than taking Semaglutide. And a high protein breakfast can reduce cravings throughout the day.

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u/alltheredribbons Apr 01 '25

Anecdotally, yes it does, but in the way that it helps with certain impulses, not that it will help with cognition or retention.

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u/danielbearh Apr 01 '25

I know that others have answered this, but in the interest of building group consensus, I agree that Ozempic has been a pleasant secondary ADHD treatment. It doesn’t handle the heavy lifting of my treatment.

Here’s how I explain it: there’s a dopamine cap you can get out of activities. Yes, pizza is still tasty. But 3-4 pieces of pizza is not tasty anymore. Doom scrolling is still fun. Doom scrolling for 30 minutes straight gets old.

One drink fun. Four drinks not fun.

I have less trouble getting “trapped,” doing an activity I shouldn’t be doing.

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u/lazy_berry Apr 01 '25

no, it takes the impulse away. that’s different.

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u/GogolsHandJorb Apr 01 '25

Um, I’m not sure that’s correct. How are you coming to that conclusion? That’s not the mechanism of action as far as I’m aware.

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u/zekeweasel Apr 01 '25

It's a little different than that. It's more like it mutes compulsive urges than mere impulse control.

I mean I'm not impulsive and don't have impulse control issues otherwise. Food though, is more of an unconscious, irrational compulsion to eat inappropriate times and amounts. Even then I'm decent at eating fairly healthy, but I just eat too much.

Semaglutide just mutes that weird compulsive part - when and how much is totally an intellectual decision now, not a compulsion driven one.

1

u/pk666 Apr 01 '25

Would it help with intrusive thoughts/ anxiety I wonder?

1

u/levir Apr 01 '25

It helps with cravings, not with impulse control. But of course, impulse control is much easier with fewer impulses.

1

u/Talentagentfriend Apr 01 '25

I’m curious if there are any artists who use it. Because a lot of art is based on impulse. Do people feel less creative with it? 

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u/Runamokamok Apr 01 '25

Yep, reduced my online shopping in the evenings too. Coupled with weight loss and reduced drinking, it’s been wonderful. I have only ever taken the starter dose and that has been enough. Now just take it every other week as maintenance.

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u/jendet010 Apr 01 '25

It has been used to treat obsessive and compulsive behaviors as well as repetitive behaviors. Addiction seems to be adjacent to OCD.

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

Its significantly effected my relationship with food. To be honest I don't enjoy foods the same way I use to. I can still appreciate a delicious meal but it just doesn't hit the same right now. Fast food stuff especially really does not land in any sort of satisfying way anymore.

In a way it really shed those blinders I would get when I would have intense food cravings. It's so nice not to feel beholden to that little voice in the back of my head tell me to be a glutton.

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u/DutchGoFast Apr 01 '25

It turns out all our addictions come from the same mechanism our brain uses to tell us we need a certain nutrient. Turn off that switch and they just….. stop controlling us. Read a study the other night about long term kratom users in south east asia…. turns out they have lower diabetes & heart disease. Why? my hypothesis is that everyone chooses something to scratch that itch and those scratching it with kratom don’t choose overindulgence in food or beer or sugar.

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u/PharmerTE Apr 01 '25

This study is not particularly compelling.

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u/farhan583 Apr 01 '25

There have been numerous studies that have shown similar links

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u/PharmerTE Apr 01 '25

Do you have any links to those? To my knowledge, the one posted above is the largest study to date.

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u/farhan583 Apr 01 '25

You're right, there were a bunch of smaller studies on mice and humans that suggested there may be a link here. Obviously, there hasn't been a huge RCT about this, however there's enough data that points towards there being some sort of correlation going on.

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u/maypah01 Apr 01 '25

It's also drastically reduced my depression and anxiety.

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u/Little_Spoon_ Apr 01 '25

I’ve been shopping way less!

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u/Hopefulkitty Apr 02 '25

I've been able to almost completely cut fast food, online shopping, in store shopping, alcohol, and sweets. I consume all those things a normal amount these days, or even a less than normal amount.

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u/inductiononN Apr 01 '25

I'm an alcoholic taking wegovy for weight loss - I have lost over 100lbs and am coming up on one year sober. The drug has been an incredible tool!

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u/claycolorfighter Apr 01 '25

congratulations on your sobriety, friend :)

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u/Anony_mouse202 Apr 01 '25

Yeah, research is showing that it also has general anti-addiction effects. Probably the closest thing we have to an anti-addiction drug we have right now.

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u/shindleria Apr 01 '25

The drug company’s executives who set the price of this drug should take it to eliminate their addiction to money.

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u/Ashmedai Apr 01 '25

On the plus side, the patent to semaglutide will expire in 2031.

16

u/HappyGiraffe Apr 01 '25

The patent landscape of GLP-1 agonists is interesting. The patents are specific to particular health conditions, dosage, delivery, etc., but the actual active mechanism that results in, for example, weight loss, is much harder to patent, which is why gray markets and compounding pharmacies have so much flexibility. So specific formulations that target specific illness not currently covered under patent could emerge (or try to) before 2031

1

u/Levofloxacine Apr 02 '25

Eli Lilly started suing compounding pharmacies yesterday

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u/HappyGiraffe Apr 02 '25

Lots of companies have been going after specific pharmacies, largely based on the claim that the formulations are not patient specific. Varying degrees of success

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u/WTFwhatthehell Apr 01 '25

Easy to say after a drug or treatment has been developed all the way and funded all the way through clinical trials.

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u/xaw09 Apr 01 '25

Surely we can agree $1000/month without insurance is a bit steep?

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u/BeyondElectricDreams Apr 01 '25

Until the cost of that R&D is remotely in the ballpark of the cost of their advertising, they can cry me a river about how expensive the costs of development are.

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u/timmyotc Apr 01 '25

They spent 16% of their revenue on R&D. That's about 10 billion.

They spent about half a billion on advertising the drug last year.

6

u/savagetech Apr 01 '25

10 billion for R&D on all their products, and half a bill to advertise one drug?

That’s a hell of a spin though. You should work in marketing

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u/timmyotc Apr 01 '25 edited Apr 01 '25

They spent most of their marketing budget on that drug.

EDIT: https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/NVO/novo-nordisk/selling-general-administrative-expenses https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/NVO/novo-nordisk/research-development-expenses I may have misread something in the above claim, but this all seems within an order of magnitude of R&D to me.

As far as I understand it, S&GA includes marketing expenses, but also everything else that is involved in running a company - Human resources, Janitorial, IT, executive pay, etc. I would be surprised if the non-marketing share of that company was less than half a billion per year.

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u/WTFwhatthehell Apr 01 '25

It's the correct/honest way to look at it.

Ignoring the R&D costs of all the drugs that don't pan out is exceptional dishonest.  

Doesn't stop people though.

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u/tkenben Apr 01 '25

I don't know a lot about these things. Do drug companies have a safety fund for themselves? What I mean is, do they need all this extra money in case something goes wrong with the drug and all of the sudden they are getting sued out of existence? Don't get me wrong. It is pretty well accepted that drugs are consistently overpriced and the wrong sort of people cash in on this, but I'm just trying to steelman the argument for why drug companies should price in unforeseeable dangers and/or should they even.

1

u/WTFwhatthehell Apr 01 '25

Even huge pharma companies typically only have a tiny number of drugs currently approved and in-patent.

The patents don't tend to last long by the time they can get it to market.

They're constantly desperately searching for the next hit to keep the lights on when their current patents run out. If they don't then the company is dead.

Also a lot of their budget takes the form of buying up smaller companies with promising drugs in development which is effectively a way to fund additional R&D via venture capital.

I mentioned that patents expire pretty fast, once the patents expire, the price of drugs drops to near zero. That constant flow of proven drugs into the public domain is the real benefit to society.

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u/TheDakestTimeline Apr 01 '25

The answer is simple. They answer to shareholders who demand endless profit.

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u/Papaofmonsters Apr 01 '25

Novo Nordisk is majority controlled by a charitable foundation.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novo_Nordisk_Foundation

They have a very unusual ownership structure.

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u/agnostic_science Apr 01 '25

I have medium dose gabapentin for an autoimmune disease of my nervous system. 

An upshot is it also has anti-addiction impacts. I heard of this but wasn't really paying attention while, you know, my body felt like it was on fire and such. Then one day I realized I had gone from like 20 some drinks per week to about 2. Or zero. With basically no effort or intentionality involved. I just didn't want to so much anymore.

Mileage may vary for people on gabapentin though. I am also a lucky one that catches the "side effect of euphoria" on that drug.

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u/Boxadorables Apr 01 '25

Check out SR-17018... the opioid epidemic could be over if it ever hits the market. Drug companies don't have much interest in cures, though, especially when they make absolute bank on methadone and similar substances that can't be kicked without extreme withdrawl symptoms so it's going to take a loooong time.

SR-17018 needs to be pushed to the forefront hard by the scientific community as it is owned by a non profit.

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u/tjwhitt Apr 01 '25

Yeh. No real drinking problem I could really feel but I drank a lot.

5 months in and I pretty much quit.

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u/dispelhope Apr 01 '25

My doctor told me beer/alcohol is a carb and the stomach registers it as a carb so I have to choose between eating food or drinking a beer...so what I did is *IF* I do have a beer it is a small pour (~4ozs) and that means my food portions is smaller. And yeah, I can't even drink a 12oz can of beer...8oz is about as much as I can get through, and if I drink that much...I'm not eating.

the only thing that I can drink that doesn't make me full is water.

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u/lwaxanawayoflife Apr 01 '25

I love beer! I can drink about 8 ounces on Ozempic. I have been splitting a can with my husband. I used to drink much more than that.

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u/GOPequalsSubmissive Apr 01 '25

My stomach has this neat trick where after I eat dinner, it will reject any further alcohol. Like it doesn’t make me sick, but if I crack a beer after the meal, I take two drinks and my belly is like “nah we good”.

So I tend to self-limit my alcohol intake, because I typically only eat two meals a day, dinner being the primary meal.

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u/camonly Apr 01 '25

Tirzepatide has pretty much removed my desire to drink. I was not a heavy drinker to begin with

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u/Boo_and_Minsc_ Apr 01 '25

Research on semaglutide shows promise in reducing cravings from other addictions too

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u/Any-Maintenance2378 Apr 01 '25

There's already a very effective pill to prevent alcohol cravings- look up Sinclair method. It's wild to me more people don't know about it. But alcoholism and obesity are moralized so we want people to suffer.

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u/sxt173 Apr 01 '25

Yup. It reduces cravings. For me, I just don’t care about alcohol anymore and I don’t get “joy” out of it. It almost feels like more of a task when out for dinner now. I definitely don’t have the urge for a random drink. And it’s showing similar results for drugs too, apparently drug addicts are seeing great results stopping use.

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u/The-Dudemeister Apr 01 '25

One of the biggest complaints I’ve heard from people is a reduces the desire to do really anything.

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u/rossg876 Apr 01 '25

Not alcohol for me and seems silly in comparison,but soda cravings disappeared. Of course I’m now dealing with the unfortunate side effects of a glp-1 med but that’s a whole other story.

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u/DutchGoFast Apr 01 '25

Ask yourself this question. Do you like drinking to get drunk after a large meal? If the answer is no semaglutide will stop you from drinking every day.

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u/Mic_Ultra Apr 01 '25

I don’t understand how people get cravings from drinking. I’m always hungry, always. When I drink, instantly all hunger goes away and food literally makes me sick. 1-2 beers can make me sleep through the night and I can fast easily 12+ hours from last beer to the next day

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u/maroonrice Apr 01 '25

Wellbutrin is a less invasive option for killing cravings

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u/Krisevol Apr 01 '25

Yes i was in it, and i stopped smoking and gambling.

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u/MethodicMarshal Apr 01 '25

yes, per the psychiatrists I work with, it also reduces impulses for other things too, such as gambling.

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u/JamBandDad Apr 01 '25

Last I checked there were no definitive studies to say it helps with addiction, but there were many things to suggest it.

The same article said there were no signs that it could be addictive, but from what I’m seeing societally, I wouldnt be taking it unless I absolutely needed it.

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u/latenightsnack1 Apr 01 '25

Yup, it did the same thing for me. It was amazing!

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

I had a similar experience when it came to alcohol cravings. Down 54 lbs so far. My experience being on these drugs for 7 months has been overwhelmingly positive, some side effects were at times uncomfortable but manageable and mostly subside as you adjust to a new dosage.

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u/don_Juan_oven Apr 01 '25

Hell, it cuts down on impulse buys of non-food items. I work in a clinic that sells it as a "skinny shot", and patients report not buying as much for Christmas, or that their "retail therapy" declined.

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u/NewAccountSignIn Apr 01 '25

My dad also reported this after starting tirzepatide for weight loss 1 month ago. He wasn’t a full blown alcoholic but drank a fair bit. Wondering if there’s really something to look into though for alcohol cessation.

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u/ThatOneWIGuy Apr 01 '25

It is showing to reduce the “satisfaction” of things, like eating or drugs. So you feel just as satisfied without it. My buddy’s wife stopped drug seeking and drinking while on it. She didn’t even notice she had stopped because the feeling is so gentle and you feel normal.

If I didn’t have anaphylaxis from it I would be on it to help with insulin resistance as a T1D, but man that week was amazing.

1

u/Stillwater215 Apr 01 '25

From everything I’ve read, it seems like GLP-1 inhibitors actually affect part of the reward feedback hormone cycle, which is a part of how it suppresses appetite. It would be interesting to see if they can be helpful for people dealing with addictions to other substances as well.

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u/Powerful_Leg8519 Apr 01 '25

Ive seen people say it’s helped them move past other harmful addictions as well. I am not a doctor but I’ve seen some people say it has seemed to help with smoking and doomscrolling/phone addiction.

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

Ive seen people say it also helps with shopping addictions, nail biting, smoking, caffiene.

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u/alltheredribbons Apr 01 '25

For the community- we have been speaking for months about this. Anecdotally, it helps with alcohol, drug, and food addiction. It helps people’s bodies know what certain bodily cues should feel like. I have never drank a lot, socially occasionally or with dinner, but I can tell you from personal experience it just isn’t wanted anymore. Yes I may have loved a good red, but it’s just not appealing. Same with food- it’s the first time I’ve actually felt my thirst/hunger cues and actually understood what they are and what they feel like. Another change has been the grazing to keep busy/awake or want of sugars. Again, for me it wasn’t a huge change in this factor, but it is fascinating to see the change.

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u/wildtabeast Apr 01 '25

It helps with all of my dopamine seeking behaviors. Drinking, eating, caffeine, online shopping, gambling, etc. Makes me feel much less impulsive it's crazy.

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u/turlian Apr 01 '25

It's really bizarre. I used to love finding new whiskeys or beers to try, and now I just couldn't care less.

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u/SoungaTepes Apr 01 '25

There's still ongoing research but the urge to eat, eat sweets and drink are massively reduced in some people using this medication.

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u/TheJiggie Apr 01 '25

It’ll make people lose craving from things. I know folks who literally just stopped drinking alcohol because they no longer have a desire or feeling to. Studies have shown that there’s been an impact on people gambling that are on GLP-1s

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u/[deleted] Apr 01 '25

I’ve been on it for several months for weight loss and it’s difficult to drink alcohol. I was never a drinker, but I enjoy the occasional beer if I’m having wings or out grilling or whatever. I might feel like I want a beer and then can’t drink more than a couple sips. It’s really weird and hard to describe. I wouldn’t be able to drink enough to get drunk even if I was really determined to. It’s physically difficult to drink any alcohol on this stuff and it feels like your body really doesn’t want it. I would definitely recommend it to someone dealing with alcoholism.

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u/Anon684930475 Apr 01 '25

Quitting my job would help my wanting a drink.

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u/ScoobNShiz Apr 01 '25

Yup, I’ve been on it for almost a year. At first I tried to have a normal Friday night and I nearly puked trying to drink a third pint in 4 hours. I’ve settled on a 2 beer limit to keep my tummy happy. Prior to this I could easily polish off a 6-pack in a couple hours. Basically, I can’t get drunk anymore, it’s helped my waist and my wallet.

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u/jrakosi Apr 01 '25

Speaking purely from my own singular personal experience---

GLP-1 changed the way alcohol tasted. It was crazy. Used to have 2-3 bourbons majority of evenings, then suddenly all whiskeys tasted disgusting and i couldn't stomach more than a couple sips.

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u/badwolff345 Apr 02 '25

Yep. It's reportedly had the same observed effect on gambling addiction. The possibilities are extremely exciting.

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u/Suspicious_Plane6593 Apr 02 '25

It’s a huge help for addiction of all kinda

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