The Power of Weight-Loss Drugs
- New research is suggesting that popular weight loss medications, such as Ozempic, the brand name of Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide, may help people consume less alcohol and cigarettes, in addition to weight loss, Dr. F. Perry Wilson, MSCE, MD, an Associate Professor of Medicine and Public Health at Yale University, has pointed out.
- A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, says semaglutide “significantly lower risk for medical encounters for Tobacco Use Disorder [TUD] diagnosis compared with other anti-diabetes medications.” Another article said alcohol intake was also decreased among obese patients taking semaglutide and/or tirzepatide.
- Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, meaning that it mimics the effects of GLP-1 in the body. Given as weekly subcutaneous injections, it is normally prescribed to manage blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. It also leads to a significant amount of weight loss in these patients.
According to a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, semaglutide—the highly popular drug also known under the brand names Rybelsu and Wegovy, which is an FDA-approved prescription medication for adults with type 2 diabetes—was linked with a “significantly lower risk for medical encounters for Tobacco Use Disorder [TUD] diagnosis compared with other anti-diabetes medications.”
Read MoreMore discussion @medscape here. Thanks for reading! /threadhttps://t.co/2s2rKzcDl0
— F. Perry Wilson, MD MSCE (@fperrywilson) July 30, 2024
The study authors of the article, titled “Semaglutide and Tirzepatide reduce alcohol consumption in individuals with obesity,” concluded, “Here we provide a principled analysis of social media posts detailing a reduction in alcohol consumption while taking GLP-1 and Tirzepatide medication. In addition, we report a reduction in average number of drinks, binge drinking, AUDIT score, and the sedative/stimulating effects of alcohol in individuals taking Semaglutide or Tirzepatide in our remote study.
“These findings add to a growing literature detailing a reduction in alcohol intake after GLP-1 agonist medications. To our knowledge this is the first report of decreased alcohol consumption following Tirzepatide use,” the authors continued.
“Further RCTs [randomized controlled trials] are needed to fully explore the therapeutic potential of GLP-1 agonists and GIP/GLP-1 combination drugs for the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder.
As per Dr. Wilsons report, he also noted that an article from earlier this year, published in Molecular Psychiatry, also found that semaglutide may also help those affected by cannabis use disorder, while another article from Brain Sciences says the drug may minimize compulsive shopping.
“A picture is starting to form, a picture that suggests these drugs curb hunger both literally and figuratively. That GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic and Mounjaro are fundamentally anticonsumption drugs. In a society that, some would argue, is plagued by overconsumption, these drugs might be just what the doctor ordered,” Dr. Wilson explained in his recent disclosure.
Dr. Wilson explained further, referring to a recent target trial emulation study from the National Institute On Drug Abuse, “When Ozempic is compared with insulin among smokers with diabetes, those on Ozempic were about 30 percent more likely to quit smoking. They were about 18 percent more likely to quit smoking than those who took metformin.
“They were even slightly more likely to quit smoking than those on other GLP-1 receptor antagonists, though I should note that Mounjaro, which is probably the more potent GLP-1 drug in terms of weight loss, was not among the comparators.”
He continued, “This is pretty impressive for a drug that was not designed to be a smoking cessation drug. It speaks to this emerging idea that these drugs do more than curb appetite by slowing down gastric emptying or something.
“They work in the brain, modulating some of the reward circuitry that keeps us locked into our bad habits.”
How Does Semaglutide Work?
Integral to blood sugar control, GLP-1 is a hormone released by the gut in response to food. It causes the pancreas to release insulin. A rising blood insulin level causes all the body tissues to start absorbing glucose (blood sugar) from the bloodstream, thereby lowering blood glucose levels. GLP-1 also prevents the release of glucagon, which is a hormone that raises blood sugar levels by stimulating liver cells to release glucose and helps people feel full for longer. These effects can also cause people to lose weight.
Modern studies on GLP-1 have shown that it has a role beyond glucose control. It modulates the immune system cells, including NK cells, in a way necessary for weight loss.
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, meaning that it mimics the effects of GLP-1 in the body. Given as weekly subcutaneous injections, it is normally prescribed to manage blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. It also leads to a significant amount of weight loss in these patients.
Although semaglutide has been approved for blood sugar control in people with type II diabetes, under the brand name Ozempic, and for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy, it has not been approved for use as an immune booster and cancer preventative. Thus, it should not be prescribed for that purpose. Those taking it to control their diabetes or weight, however, can expect the additional benefit of improving their immunity. as per a recent study, and lowering their cancer risk, as a link between weight and cancer does exist.
Obesity & Cancer Risk
It’s important to understand that obesity increases an individual’s risk of developing a range of dangerous health conditions, including several types of cancer. In addition to increasing the likelihood of developing certain cancers, obesity is associated with worse treatment outcomes.
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Stephen Freedland of Cedars Sinai Medical Center said, “Some of the best data we have is that obesity increases the risk of not just getting prostate cancer, but actually dying from prostate cancer. Obese men are 35 percent more likely to die from prostate cancer.”
Sugar, The Western Diet And Cancer Prevention
While obesity or a person’s high weight will not always cause them to develop cancer, other conditions associated obesity, like diabetes and heart disease, can lead to complications from cancer treatment if a person already has cancer. In addition, these conditions can sometimes prevent patients from receiving the recommended first-line therapies, as well as increase a patient’s risk of undergoing surgery.
Dr. Andrea Tufano-Sugarman of NYU Langone Health explained to SurvivorNet the benefits of losing weight.
“While all cancers cannot be prevented,” she said, “losing weight is a great way to reduce one’s risk.”
Dr. Tufano-Sugarman said that this is especially true for women; they lower their risk of developing breast cancer and endometrial cancer when they lose weight and keep it of.
Even without losing weight, adopting a more nutritious diet can help. “Food choices, independent of weight loss, may also help to reduce risk,” Dr. Tufano-Sugarman said. “Research has shown that the Mediterranean diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, fish and olive oil) is associated with a decreased risk of cancer. Whereas diets rich in red meat may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal and prostate cancer.”
Lung Cancer Screening Guidance
The new guidelines set by the American Cancer Society (ACS) recommend yearly lung cancer screening for people who “smoke or formerly smoked and have a 20-year or greater pack-year history,” an ACS press release says.
Helping You Understand the Cancer Risks from Smoking
- 95% of Smokers Take Up the Habit Before Age 21: Why New York Just Joined A Growing List of States that Have Raised the Legal Smoking Age
- Cigarette Sales Increase for the First Time in 20 Years On the Heels Of Lung Cancer Awareness Month; Understand the Risk of Smoking
- Could Marijuana Cause Cancer? Secondhand Smoke From Drug Causes More Viral Infections in Children Than Tobacco
- I Don’t Make People Feel Bad About Smoking: A Thoracic Surgeon’s Perspective
WATCH: Understanding smoking’s impact on lung cancer.
“This updated guideline continues a trend of expanding eligibility for lung cancer screening in a way that will result in many more deaths prevented by expanding the eligibility criteria for screening to detect lung cancer early,” said Dr. Robert Smith, senior vice president, early cancer detection science at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the lung cancer screening guideline report.
Lung cancer screening is painless and lasts only a few minutes. It involves using a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT). While lying on a table, an X-ray will scan your lungs for anything unusual, the CDC explains.
What About Cannabis?
The cancer risks associated with smoking cigarettes are well documented. However, some experts believe with conviction that cancer risks extend to smoking cannabis as well. Dr. Raja Flores, who is the Chairman of the Department of Thoracic Surgery for Mount Sinai Health System, is among those who believe cannabis fuels cancer risks. “Smoking marijuana likely causes lung cancer independent of cigarette smoking status,” Dr. Flores told SurvivorNet.
“I do think for cigarettes, there is a genetic predisposition to get lung cancer. As well as a genetic predisposition for substance abuse. So, it would not surprise me that there is a genetic link to lung cancer from smoking weed,” Dr. Flores continued.
“As someone on the front lines, who sees this every day, I’ve seen lung cancer caused by marijuana that is incredibly aggressive,” Dr. Flores previously told SurvivorNet.
“There is no really good population-based study that looks at marijuana smoking, and that has had enough time elapsed to show it’s associated with lung cancer, [but] I’ve seen it. I’ve seen multiple cases of it. I see it every day,” he added.
Although some experts disagree with cannabis use, SurvivorNet understands it is legal in parts of the country, and there are some medicinal uses for using it. If you are using cannabis, Dr. Brian Berman, professor of family community medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, says users should tell their doctor about their smoking habits.
“I think that you should always tell whichever therapy we’re talking about, you should always inform your oncologist and your physician this is (using cannabis) what you’re doing,” Dr. Berman tells SurvivorNet.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
