Jump to: What is Mounjaro, and how does it affect alcohol intake? | Is it safe to drink alcohol on Mounjaro? | Tips for drinking alcohol while on Mounjaro | Take home message
You can drink alcohol while taking Mounjaro (tirzepatide), but you may find you have a lower desire to drink alcohol while on the drug due to its effects on the brain’s reward pathways.
Recent research has shown that GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro and Wegovy lower self-reported alcohol consumption, with people reporting a lower desire to drink alcohol and drinking less when they do.
Still, we’d recommend consuming alcohol mindfully and in moderation, as it may contribute to side effects related to the medication, as alcohol can harm our gut health.
For individuals living with type 2 diabetes, the interaction between Mounjaro and alcohol is more complicated and generally isn’t recommended.
Alcohol can affect blood sugar levels in complex ways – both raising and lowering blood sugar depending on how often you drink it and when.
If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, it’s essential to discuss alcohol consumption with your doctor or pharmacist, particularly if you have uncontrolled blood sugar levels, high triglycerides, or neuropathy.
Moderate alcohol consumption generally doesn’t significantly impact blood sugar levels if type 2 diabetes is well-managed.
What is Mounjaro, and how does it affect alcohol intake?
Mounjaro is a dual-action weight-loss injection. It supports weight loss by mimicking two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, that communicate with the brain’s appetite control centre, the hypothalamus, to lower hunger and food-seeking behaviour.
The drug in Mounjaro is tirzepatide.
By lowering hunger and our desire to eat, Mounjaro helps us eat fewer calories to achieve a calorie deficit.
A calorie deficit occurs when we consume fewer calories than our body needs to fuel its essential functions, such as digestion, blood flow, and brain function.
By creating a calorie deficit, our bodies will ‘burn’ the excess fat stored for energy, and we’ll lose weight.
Mounjaro also slows down the rate at which we digest food so that our stomach and gut send signals to the brain to signal the feeling of fullness.
So, Mounjaro supports weight loss by making us feel less hungry through two mechanisms:
- Communicating with the brain’s appetite control centre
- Slowing the rate that food is digested
Randomised controlled trials have shown that Mounjaro leads to an average weight loss of around 26% after one year.
This direct effect on our brain’s reward pathways may explain its potential ability to lower our desire to drink alcohol while on Mounjaro.
While research on Mounjaro and alcohol is still being conducted, a recent large-scale analysis of patient records in Sweden showed a potential impact of a similar GLP-1 weight-loss injection, semaglutide (Wegovy), and alcohol intake.
The study analysed over 220,000 records of patients living with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and found that the use of Wegovy lowered the risk of hospitalisation due to AUD by 34%.
While promising, we now need randomised controlled trials investigating the impact of GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro on AUD to understand this relationship better.
Is it safe to drink alcohol on Mounjaro?
While there are no direct drug interactions between Mounjaro and alcohol, there are still some things to consider.
First, alcohol could enhance or trigger the common side effects of the medication related to the gut.
Drinking alcohol while taking Mounjaro might increase your risk of experiencing nausea, vomiting, dehydration, and delayed stomach emptying.
However, if you have poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, high triglycerides, or neuropathy, it’s not recommended to drink alcohol while on the medication.
To summarise:
- Mounjaro is generally considered safe to consume for most people taking the medication
- However, if you’re living with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, high triglycerides, or neuropathy, it’s not recommended to consume alcohol while on the medication
Tips for drinking alcohol while on Mounjaro
If you choose to drink alcohol while taking Mounjaro, approaching it mindfully can help minimise potential side effects.
- Start slowly with small amounts to understand how your body responds to the combination.
- Many people report wanting to drink less while on Mounjaro, so listen to these signals from your body.
- Staying hydrated is crucial. Consider drinking water between alcoholic beverages and keeping water by your bedside.
- We wouldn’t recommend drinking on an empty stomach. Eating a meal containing protein, vegetables, fat, and complex carbohydrates before drinking can help moderate alcohol’s effects.
- Pay attention to how you feel both during and after drinking. If you notice increased nausea, dizziness, or other uncomfortable symptoms, consider reducing your alcohol intake or spacing out drinks more than usual.
- For people living with well-controlled type 2 diabetes, checking blood sugar levels more frequently when drinking can help ensure they stay within a healthy range.
Take home message
While it’s possible to drink alcohol while taking Mounjaro, many people naturally reduce their intake due to the medication’s effects on reward signalling in the brain.
If you choose to drink, do so mindfully and monitor how your body responds to the combination of alcohol and Mounjaro.
The safety of combining alcohol with Mounjaro depends mainly on individual health factors.
Those living with type 2 diabetes or other healthcare conditions should be more cautious about consuming alcohol while on the drug.
Emerging research suggests that Mounjaro and similar medications may offer an unexpected benefit in naturally reducing alcohol consumption through their effects on the brain’s reward system.
While this is promising, especially for those looking to moderate their drinking, more research is needed to understand these effects fully.
Remember that everyone responds differently to both Mounjaro and alcohol, so what works for one person may not work for another. When in doubt, consult with your healthcare provider about your specific situation.
On Second Nature, you can speak with the clinical team and receive personal support from a registered dietitian or nutritionist on managing alcohol intake on Mounjaro.
Second Nature’s medication programmes
Second Nature has two medication-supported programmes: a Wegovy weight-loss programme and a Mounjaro weight-loss programme.
Why should you choose Second Nature over other medication providers if you’ve decided to try Mounjaro or Wegovy (assuming you’re eligible)?
For peace of mind.
Second Nature has worked with the NHS for over 6 years, providing weight-loss programmes across the UK.
While our Wegovy and Mounjaro weight-loss programmes are private and not currently used by the NHS, we’ve built the programmes focusing on scientific evidence, patient safety, and data security.
We hope that our 6+ years of working with the NHS and building a track record of effective weight-loss results will give you peace of mind to give us a try.
