Wegovy and Alcohol: All We Need To Know

Picture this: you’ve tried it all. You’ve been measuring your yogurt and granola religiously, swinging those kettlebells every morning (watch out for the glass table!), and even made Calorie King your homepage. And yet the scale isn’t budging.

Whatever the reason, these days there are medications that can help get the weight loss process going. A new one that’s been making waves is Wegovy — the brand-name version of semaglutide, which has become one of the go-to meds prescribed for weight loss. But you might be wondering, what about mixing Wegovy and alcohol — can you drink on Wegovy? Or is it a no-go? Let’s find out!

What Is Wegovy?

Wegovy was originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes — a condition caused by our body’s inability to use insulin, a hormone that moves glucose (our primary source of energy) from our blood into our cells. According to the CDC, diabetes affects around 38.4 million people in the U.S. — a whopping 11.6% of the U.S. population. Sometimes we can chalk it up to the luck of the genetic draw: one form of diabetes — type 1 — is an inherited autoimmune disease. Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, develops over time and is the fallout of unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle.

And while being overweight isn’t a “prerequisite” for diabetes, obesity and diabetes share some biological features, and benefit from the same treatment. 

Wegovy belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. GLP-1 is a hormone that helps us regulate blood sugar levels and appetite. In its natural form, GLP-1 gets released by the gut after we eat and binds to GLP-1 receptors in the brain and pancreas, triggering insulin release while making us feel full. GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Wegovy step in to do the same: research shows that Wegovy promotes insulin release while making it easier to keep a lid on our snacking habits.

The Dopamine Dilemma: Wegovy Reduces Alcohol’s Effects

First things first: we might find that taking Wegovy curbs our desire to drink altogether. The reason has to do with the brain. Wegovy works by altering pathways in the hypothalamus — a region that regulates hunger and satiety. As it turns out, it also plays a key role in the reward system that’s at the center of addictive behaviors such as alcohol misuse.

Alcohol hijacks the reward system by artificially boosting dopamine — a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure that’s also involved in motivation and learning. While the reward system evolved to allow us to develop habits necessary for survival — for example, eating or finding a romantic partner — substances such as alcohol trigger dopamine release artificially. That’s what makes it so hard to stop!

Wegovy, in turn, tweaks the reward system pathways in a way that makes alcohol less potent. We don’t get the same “high,” so we’re not as tempted to keep coming back for more. In fact, studies have even shown that Wegovy could be used to curb drinking!

That said, what happens if we do decide to mix alcohol and Wegovy?

Can You Drink on Wegovy?

We’ve established that our cravings for booze might naturally simmer down when Wegovy is in the mix. But what if they don’t? Can you drink alcohol on Wegovy? Mixing the two could spell trouble for a number of reasons.

1. Increased Risk of Hypoglycemia

If we do mix alcohol and Wegovy, the result isn’t pretty. For one thing, our blood sugar levels could go out of whack. While alcohol increases blood sugar in the long run, the immediate effect is usually a blood sugar drop. Because the body sees alcohol as a poison and prioritizes its metabolism over everything else, it stops releasing glucose — causing a temporary dip in blood sugar.

Because semaglutide lowers our blood sugar as well, we’re in for an all-time low when we combine Wegovy and alcohol. The result? We might feel dizzy, confused, or even pass out. 

2. Increased Side Effects

But that’s not all! Like any medication, Wegovy is not without its side effects.

What are Wegovy side effects with alcohol? Here’s what we might be in store for if we combine the two:

• Gastrointestinal trouble. Wegovy can mess with our stomach, and alcohol is known to do the same. Both can lead to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea — and a night that quickly goes down the drain as well.
• Dehydration. Yes, alcohol is a liquid, but it’s a sneaky one. By suppressing vasopressin — the hormone that tells our kidneys to hold on to water — it leads to frequent trips to the bathroom throughout the night and dehydration the next morning. Wegovy can also cause dehydration and add to the problem, making us more parched than ever.
• Cardiovascular glitches. Both Wegovy and alcohol increase our heart rate — an effect that’s especially troublesome if we have a preexisting heart condition. Besides, alcohol also leads to blood pressure spikes and cardiomyopathy over time, adding to the strain. 
• Danger to the pancreas. In some cases, Wegovy can be hard on the pancreas. With alcohol in the picture, the risk of pancreatic damage gets even higher.
• Anxiety. It’s not just our physical health that’s in question when it comes to mixing alcohol and Wegovy. While less common than other effects, anxiety can be one of the side effects of semaglutide. And while alcohol initially dampens anxiety through its downer effects, more often than not the rebound effect caused by the brain’s attempt to rebalance itself leaves us feeling more anxious than before we took that drink to “calm our nerves.” 

It’s clear that combining Wegovy side effects with alcohol’s impact makes for an unpleasant — and possibly dangerous — combination. Drinking on Wegovy is likely to cause trouble, especially if we overdo it.

3. Impact on Weight Loss

Last but certainly not least, here’s one of the most important reasons why alcohol and Wegovy are a problematic pair: booze can sabotage our weight loss efforts, throwing a wrench in the progress we’ve made, and maybe even sending us back to the state that led us to start taking the medication in the first place. Here’s why the two play for opposite teams:

• Alcohol is full of empty calories. Alcohol is second only to fats when it comes to the number of calories per gram. A single drink can pack as much as a large slice of pizza or bowl of ice cream! (For example, a piña colada can have over 500 calories per serving, while an eggnog with rum has about 400.)
• It makes us hungry. As anyone who has ever had a craving for pizza after a boozy night can attest to, alcohol often makes us hungry — and usually not for broccoli or low-fat cottage cheese. This wave of hunger comes because alcohol amps up the “hunger hormone” ghrelin, making us feel ravenous even if we’ve had enough to eat. And with our inhibitions lowered, we’re less likely to make healthy choices as we raid the fridge (or reach for our phone to order delivery).
• It messes with our metabolism. Over time, alcohol also throws a wrench in the workings of our metabolism, making it more sluggish. It’s certainly not what we want, especially when we’re on a weight loss journey. (For more information, check out “Does Alcohol Slow Metabolism?.”)
• It interferes with sleep. Last but not least, alcohol robs us of the restorative powers of sleep, which is essential for sustainable weight loss. While it might make us initially sleepy, it robs us of the most restorative REM stages of sleep and often results in fragmented slumber in the second half of the night. The result? Our hunger increases even more, since lack of sleep is associated with an increase in ghrelin. Plus, sleep deprivation contributes to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, further sabotaging our weight loss efforts.

It’s best to steer clear of alcohol while on Wegovy. This not only helps us with our weight loss but promotes a healthier lifestyle all around.

Wegovy and Alcohol: Tips for the Journey

It can feel challenging to navigate the weight loss journey while also trying to drink less. The great news is that the same tools can make both goals easier to reach. Here are some of the most effective ones: 

• Track your patterns. First things first: it’s important to become familiar with your triggers around food and alcohol. When do you feel the urge to drink? How does it affect your eating patterns? And how do you feel afterwards? Remember — this isn’t about judgment. Instead, you’re gathering important information: bringing your habits into conscious awareness is essential to undoing their power. 
• Make a plan. Once you have an idea of what your patterns are, it’s time to make a plan! If you do drink, decide exactly how much you’re going to have and share your plan with an accountability buddy to keep yourself accountable.
• Add more movement. Exercise is a key part of the weight loss journey, but it can also be a powerful way to keep your drinking in check! Science says that physical activity releases endorphins and reduces stress, keeping our cravings at bay.
• Get a mindfulness practice going. Mindfulness — conscious awareness of the world around us without judgment — is another “superpower” when it comes to the weight loss journey and alcohol reduction alike. Science says it boosts neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to rewire itself — and allows us to observe our cravings without giving in. (Want to learn more? Check out “Using Mindfulness Practices to Enhance Self-Awareness and Promote Healthier Drinking Habits.”)
• Coast through cravings. In addition to exercise and mindfulness, there are many other techniques — for example, distraction, visualization, or the STOP method — that can make it easier to coast through cravings for alcohol and unhealthy food choices. Pick up some tips from “How To Stop Alcohol Cravings” and “How Urge Surfing Can Help You Overcome Alcohol Cravings” to become an urge-surfing pro!

And remember, the Reframe community is here to help you every step of the way. Check out our vibrant 24/7 Forum where others who’ve been in your shoes and know what it’s like are ready to share their stories and advice. We’re rooting for you!

Summing Up

Whether or not we’re taking Wegovy, quitting alcohol will only help our weight loss efforts. Losing weight and reducing alcohol intake both involve being mindful of what we put in our body, and as we adjust our habits, we can look forward to a healthier, more vibrant lifestyle!