The health benefits of Ozempic have once again grown far beyond treatment for diabetes and weight loss and may in time help people fight addiction.
Emerging research shows when the weight loss drug and natural hormone GLP-1 work together, it acts as a master-switch and decreases food cravings significantly.
This seems to have the same effect on other substances, like alcohol, nicotine or opioids - with one study showing a 40 per cent decrease in opioid cravings when given the injection.
According to the findings of a new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine the semaglutide injection can also improve the health of those with chronic kidney disease, sleep apnoea, Parkinson's disease and even depression.
Professor Luke O'Neill explains why these findings may prove important in the future treatment of substance addiction.
"One thing it does in your brain - it stops you eating - because it decreases your craving for food.
"We crave other things - drugs and alcohol being a good example - Ozempic and other drugs like it seem to be decreasing craving for alcohol.
"In other words, these drugs will stop you craving for food - they'll also stop you from craving other things you might become addicted to," he said.
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