Dietary supplements may also help you quit smoking
Semaglutide helps with weight loss. However, the so-called GLP-1 antagonist is also attributed with a range of other side effects. There are new indications that it could also reduce the desire to smoke.
People taking semaglutide to treat type 2 diabetes could also lose their desire to smoke. This is the finding of a study by researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. The active ingredient, which is also found in the weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, had this effect compared to other antidiabetics such as insulin or metformin.
For the study, the research team led by Rong Xu examined the electronic health records of over 220,000 people. All were being treated for the metabolic disorder type 2 diabetes with various antidiabetics. 5967 of these were newly prescribed semaglutide. All were smokers, i.e., they suffered from the so-called tobacco use disorder. Patient data from the period between December 1, 2017, and March 31, 2023, was used for the analysis.
Strongest effects in the first 30 days
In the analysis, the researchers found that those taking semaglutide were less likely to seek medical help for health problems related to smoking than those taking other antidiabetics. The semaglutide group also lagged behind in the prescription of smoking cessation aids and smoking cessation counseling. The noticeable effects were most pronounced in patients in the first 30 days of treatment.
Earlier studies had already provided indications of various side effects of semaglutide. The team led by Xu had already reported in March 2024 that semaglutide reduced the number of treatments for cannabis dependence in diabetics. The research team cannot say what the cause of the effect is. It is possible that the active ingredient acts in the brain in regions that are associated with cannabis and nicotine dependence and are part of the reward system.
Clinical study underway
Although the study design does not allow for recommending semaglutide as a smoking cessation aid, the results provide justification for further research in this area. A first clinical study with 48 patients has already been started at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
"While there are effective medications that help people quit smoking, not everyone responds to them," said Xu in a statement from the university. "Due to high relapse rates, alternative medications are needed to help people completely quit smoking." The study results were published in the journal "Annals of Internal Medicine".
The following study by Xu and his team at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine found that patients taking semaglutide for type 2 diabetes were less likely to seek help for smoking-related health issues and less likely to receive smoking cessation aids within the first 30 days of treatment compared to those on other antidiabetics.
In line with earlier findings, Xu stated in a university statement that due to high relapse rates, alternative medications like semaglutide are needed to effectively aid smokers in quitting.
