Two years after the first randomized GLP-1 craving trial wrapped on Caron's Pennsylvania campus, the Penn State research team posted its results.
What the study found
- The headline number: People who received liraglutide reported about 40% lower opioid cravings than those who received a placebo.
- How fast: The difference showed up in the first week, at the lowest dose.
- Smoother days: Cravings in the medication group stayed flatter through the day, without the afternoon and evening climb seen in the placebo group.
~40%
Lower cravings vs. placebo
How cravings were measured
Participants checked in several times a day on a smartphone, rating their cravings in real time rather than recalling them later.
Keep in mind: This was a small, early-stage study, and the results were posted as a preprint, which means they had not yet completed peer review. A larger 200-person trial is now testing whether the signal holds.
Preprint
SSRN
Authors: Christopher S. Freet, Timothy R. Brick, Adam Scioli and colleagues, Penn State College of Medicine and Caron Treatment Centers
Read the study (opens in a new tab)Levelheaded is an independent company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Caron Treatment Centers, Penn State, or the outlets referenced. Coverage is shared for informational purposes. GLP-1 medications are not FDA-approved for the uses discussed here, and the research described is early-stage.
