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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Donna Lu

Can diabetes and weight-loss drug Ozempic break addictions too?

Sarah Bennett Christian Hendershot Addiction diabetes Smoking Alcohol Brain
Illustration of a needle on a dinner plate
The rapid rise of Ozempic has brought reports about the drug dampening addictive behaviours, though not everyone experiences these effects. Illustration: Victoria Hart

When Sarah Bennett started taking semaglutide for weight loss last year, she noticed other unexpected changes in behaviour – that longstanding habits fell away without her consciously intending them to.

Semaglutide is commonly known as Ozempic, the brand name for the drug when prescribed as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. Ozempic has been widely used off-label for weight loss; the same drug, branded as Wegovy, is now approved for weight management in Australia, but is not currently available.

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