The New Yorker Radio Hour The Evidence on Ozempic to Treat Addiction
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Feb 24, 2026 Dhruv Khullar, physician and New Yorker medical correspondent, explores GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and their surprising cultural and clinical ripple effects. He traces their history, shares widespread anecdotes tying them to reduced cravings, and probes how they act on the brain’s reward system. He also weighs possible downsides, ethical questions, and the need for rigorous trials.
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GLP-1 Drugs Modulate Reward Pathways
- GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic appear to affect more than metabolism by modulating the brain's reward system.
- Tens of millions using these drugs report reduced urges for food, alcohol, smoking, and other compulsive behaviors, prompting clinical trials.
Patient Lost Joy In Gardening On Ozempic
- Some patients report profound loss of pleasure while on GLP-1s, describing diminished interest in hobbies and sex.
- One woman stopped enjoying gardening and improved after stopping the medication, suggesting reset on cessation.
GLP-1s Calm Dopamine Spikes Not Baseline
- Mechanistically, GLP-1 agonists blunt dopamine spikes from rewarding stimuli while preserving baseline dopamine.
- Animal and early human studies show reduced reward 'hits' for cocaine, social media, and food without global dopamine depletion.