Thirst-zepatide?<\/p>\n
A cheap, already available pill is being billed as the \u201cOzempic of alcohol\u201d for its ability to reduce appetites for booze, the way GLP-1 drugs curb food cravings.<\/p>\n
Naltrexone \u2014 which costs about $1.60 a pill when purchased in bulk \u2014 decreases the urge for alcohol by\u00a0blocking opioid receptors\u00a0in the brain, reducing the dopamine-reward effect that people get from drinking.<\/p>\n
Essentially, alcohol no longer has the same satisfying feeling, which helps diminish the desire for it.<\/p>\n
Nearly 28 million Americans\u00a0struggle with alcohol use disorder. auremar \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n
Naltrexone has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat alcohol use disorder since 1994 and opiate dependence since 1984.<\/p>\n
Nearly 28 million Americans<\/a>\u00a0struggle with alcohol use disorder.<\/p>\n The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates\u00a017% of American adults\u00a0<\/a>binge drink,\u00a0with the habit more common among men<\/a>. Not only does drinking heavily take a toll on boozers\u2019 wallets, but it can also lead to negative health consequences and tragedies.<\/p>\n Research shows<\/a> that 80% of users who took naltrexone, a prescription-only med, an hour before drinking drastically reduced or eliminated their alcohol intake altogether.<\/p>\n Besides the pill, Oar Health<\/a> sells naltrexone as a mint<\/a> under the brand name Clutch. The drug also comes in a once-a-month injection for those who can\u2019t remember to take the medication.<\/p>\n Naltrexone has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat alcohol use disorder since 1994 and opiate dependence since 1984. Vedran \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n Nausea and headaches are reported side effects of naltrexone, but experts say the nausea subsides as participants get used to the treatment.<\/p>\n This sets naltrexone apart from acamprosate, which is also approved to treat alcohol use disorder, but necessitates monitoring from a health care professional since potential side effects include suicidal thoughts and depression.<\/p>\n And unlike disulfiram \u2014 another drug approved to treat alcohol use disorder, which causes unpleasant, life-threatening side effects if taken alongside alcohol \u2014 naltrexone doesn\u2019t require strict alcohol abstinence.<\/p>\n For many, naltrexone has been nothing short of a game-changer.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first time I took naltrexone, I remember not just wanting to impulsively turn to alcohol. It was gone. There wasn\u2019t even a question of whether or not I needed it,\u201d said military veteran and podcast host Jesse Carrajat<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the first time in my life, when things got hard, I wasn\u2019t turning to alcohol.\u201d<\/p>\n While some use naltrexone to get sober, others use it to moderate their drinking. \u00c3\u00e2\u00c3\u00c2\u00be\u00c3\u00e2\u00ac\u00c3\u00c2\u00b8\u00c3\u00c2 \u00c3\u00e2\u00c3\u00c2\u00be\u00c3\u00c2\u00bd\u00c3\u00c2\u00b4\u00c3\u00c2\u00b0\u00c3\u00e2\u00ac\u00c3\u00e2\u00a1\u00c3\u00c6\u00c3\u00c2\u00ba \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n His experience is reflected in the comments on his TikTok.<\/p>\n \u201cI had tried so many times to detox on my own, and it did not work. Naltrexone saved me,\u201d said one user. <\/p>\n \u201cWorked instantly for me 4 months alcohol free,\u201d said another. <\/p>\n