Weight-loss medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, which have gained popularity for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity, have been shown to have the surprising secondary benefit of reducing alcohol intake.

A team of international researchers from Ireland and Saudi Arabia followed 262 adult patients with obesity who started taking two GLP-1 medications: liraglutide or semaglutide.

Among the regular drinkers, weekly alcohol intake decreased by 68%, from approximately 23 units of alcohol to around 8 units.

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The findings were recently published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism and were also presented last week at the European Congress on Obesity in Spain.

GLP-1 agonists mimic a hormone called GLP-1, which is released from the gastrointestinal system after eating, according to study co-author Carel Le Roux, a professor at University College Dublin.

These medications activate GLP-1 receptors in the brain, decreasing the sense of “reward” people feel after eating or drinking, eventually leading to reduced cravings for both food and alcohol, he told Fox News Digital.

“It is this commonality of function that suggests the GLP-1 receptors in the brain may be a therapeutic target for not just the disease of obesity, but also for alcohol use disorder,” the professor said.

Study findings

Before the participants started the weight-loss drugs, they self-reported their weekly alcohol intake, then were categorized as non-drinkers, rare drinkers or regular drinkers.

Approximately 72% had at least two follow-up visits and 68% reported regular alcohol consumption.

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After starting the weight-loss medications, the participants’ weekly average alcohol intake decreased by almost two-thirds overall — from approximately 11 units of alcohol to four units after four months of treatment with the GLP-1 agonists.

The reduction in alcohol use was comparable to the decrease that can be achieved by nalmefene, a drug that decreases the “buzz” feeling in people with alcohol use disorder in Europe, according to the researchers.

Among the regular drinkers, weekly alcohol intake decreased by 68%, from approximately 23 units of alcohol to around 8 units. (iStock)

For the 188 patients who were followed over an average of four months, none had increased their alcohol intake after starting the weight-loss medications.

Patients reported that after an evening meal, they were too full to have their usual drink — and when they did drink, they reported becoming full extremely quickly and drinking at a slower pace, Le Roux noted.

“The findings in this study suggest that we may have just found a therapeutic target for alcohol use disorder.”

This suggests that the experience was less enjoyable, partly due to the reduced rate of alcohol absorption.

Some patients also reported that they didn’t enjoy the flavor of the alcoholic beverages as much, and also that hangovers were much worse.

All of these experiences showed that the weight-loss medications create “guard rails” that prevent most patients from drinking excessively, giving them a degree of control over their alcohol intake, according to Le Roux.

After starting the weight-loss medications, the participants’ weekly average alcohol intake decreased by almost two-thirds overall. (iStock)

“The findings in this study suggest that we may have just found a therapeutic target for alcohol use disorder — the GLP-1 receptor,” the professor told Fox News Digital.

“This finding potentially opens the possibility of an entirely new pharmacological treatment paradigm, which could be used in conjunction with conventional methods, such as behavior therapy and group support.”

Potential limitations

The study was limited by its relatively small number of patients, the researchers acknowledged.

Also, the researchers were not able to verify the participants’ self-reported alcohol intake, and roughly one-third of them were not available for follow-up.

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There was also no control group, which means the researchers couldn’t prove that taking weight-loss medication reduces alcohol intake.

The main advantage of GLP-1 agonists is that they only need to be taken once a week and continue to work for the entire week. (iStock)

“Randomized, controlled trials with diverse patient populations — including patients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder — are needed to provide the quality and quantity of data that could be used to support an application for licensing the medication for the treatment of alcohol use disorder,” Le Roux said.

(One such trial is currently underway in Denmark.)

Study implications

With the current medications available to treat alcohol use disorder, the “major problem” is compliance, Le Roux said — “because the cravings for alcohol tend to come in waves.”

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“This means a patient might be fully committed to treatment at one point in the week, but then stop taking the medication later in the week when a craving comes,” the professor added.

“This research suggests a promising ancillary benefit of GLP-1 analogs, potentially influencing cravings for alcohol and offering a new avenue for managing alcohol use disorder,” a physician said. (iStock)

There are currently three FDA-approved medications to treat alcohol use disorder: naltrexone (which helps decrease cravings by reducing the “buzz” feeling that comes with drinking alcohol); disulfiram (which helps some people avoid alcohol by making them feel sick when they drink), and acamprosate (which restores the balance of hormones in the brain to reduce cravings), according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

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But less than 10% of people with alcohol use disorder get the proper treatment, with many resuming use within the first year of treatment, past research shows.

The main advantage of the GLP-1 agonists is that they only need to be taken once a week and continue to work for the entire week.

For the 188 patients who were followed over an average of four months, none had increased their alcohol intake after starting the weight-loss medications. (iStock)

Outside experts say the study’s findings highlight the potential of weight-loss medications to help treat alcohol use disorder.

“This research suggests a promising ancillary benefit of GLP-1 analogs, potentially influencing cravings for alcohol and offering a new avenue for managing alcohol use disorder,” Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, who was not part of the study, told Fox News Digital.

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“While the exact mechanisms are still being explored, the findings contribute to our understanding of the broader benefits of GLP-1 analogs beyond obesity treatment,” Stanford added.

Former President Joe Biden was diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that has a five-year survival rate of between 30% and 40%.

The former president’s prostate cancer is characterized by a Gleason score of 9 and Grade Group 5 with bone metastasis, indicating that it is “pretty far advanced,” Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel said on ‘Fox Report.’

“It’s the most aggressive type,” Siegel said. “That means it has the highest risk of spread — which obviously he has had.”

Biden is also presenting with urinary symptoms, which is another sign that the cancer is advanced. Prostate cancer often presents as asymptomatic in its early stages, he said. 

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“This was found by physical examination by a prostate exam,” Siegel said. “A lot of times we find an elevation in prostate-specific antigen, PSA, and then we go after it… I mean, he must have had the best possible care here. I’m a little taken aback that it’s this far advanced.”

Siegel said he conducts a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test on every male over the age of 45 years old. The test measures how much PSA is in the blood and is primarily used to screen for prostate cancer, according to Mayo Clinic. 

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While the PSA test is not always a perfect indicator of prostate cancer, someone who has a rise in PSA automatically gets an MRI, Siegel said. After the MRI, a decision is made about whether to conduct a biopsy.

More than 80% of men over the age of 80 years old have some prostate cancer cells in their body, according to Siegel.

“It would be really surprising if they weren’t doing a very close screening on this because everybody knows in the medical community that this is the one cancer in men you really look out for,” he said. “… He doesn’t seem to have a lot of risk factors that I would think about other than age, but age is enough and he’s 82, so that’s a big risk factor.”

Doctors will likely treat Biden with hormone therapy, Siegel said. They may also attempt to radiate the lesion found on the bone or remove the prostate altogether.

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“Sometimes they decide to do more than one therapy,” Siegel said. “They might try to take the prostate out, do radiation and the hormone therapy altogether. That’s not uncommon.”

There are two types of medications used to treat this type of advanced prostate cancer — Lupron, which stops testosterone production, and Casodex, which stops testosterone from binding. Side effects of the medication can leave people feeling “fatigued and listless,” according to Siegel.

The PSA test measures how much PSA is in the blood and is primarily used to screen for prostate cancer. (iStock)

“The other thing I’m concerned about is bone pain, because those metastases to the bone can be pretty painful,” he said.

If the cancer is caught early while its still localized to the prostate gland, it’s curable “most of the time,” Siegel said.

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“The goal is to get it before it leaves the prostate,” Siegel said. “When it’s left the prostate, it becomes much more difficult to cure.”

Prostate cancer cases have been on the rise in recent years, increasing 3% annually since 2014 – and now former President Joe Biden is one of the more than 300,000 men to be diagnosed this year.

Biden’s office released the announcement on Sunday, days after news that a “small nodule” had been found in the former president’s prostate during a routine exam. 

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management,” his office said. “The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

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Treatment is usually more effective when prostate cancer is hormone-sensitive, as that means the disease will likely respond better to hormone therapy, according to Mayo Clinic.

Hormone therapy is used to block the effects of the hormones that fuel the growth of prostate cancer cells.

“Prostate cancer cells rely on testosterone to help them grow. Cutting off the supply of testosterone may cause cancer cells to die or to grow more slowly,” the above source stated.

In addition to hormone therapy, common treatment options for prostate cancer include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and radiopharmaceutical treatments.

What to know about prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a disease found in men that develops in the prostate gland. 

About 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2025, and 35,770 men will die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.

Hormone therapy is used to block the effects of the hormones that fuel the growth of prostate cancer cells.

One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, the same source stated.

Older men are at a higher risk of the disease, with six in 10 cases diagnosed in patients 65 and older. The average age at diagnosis is 67, with men under 40 rarely affected. Biden is 82.

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Prostate cancer is the second-most common cancer in men, behind only skin cancer, the ACS noted.

Signs and symptoms

Among men who undergo routine prostate cancer screening, the disease is usually caught early before symptoms emerge, per the ACS.

Typical early symptoms include problems urinating, a weak or slow urinary stream or an increased need to urinate.

About 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2025 and 35,770 men will die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. (iStock)

Some men may also notice blood in the urine or bodily fluids.

More advanced symptoms may occur after the disease has spread. Those may include pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs) or other areas, the ACS stated.

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Men may also suffer from erectile dysfunction, weight loss, extreme fatigue, weakness in the legs or feet, or loss of bladder or bowel control.

Screening recommendations

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force states that men aged 55 to 69 years should have the option to undergo periodic prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening to monitor for prostate cancer. 

“Before deciding whether to be screened, men should have an opportunity to discuss the potential benefits and harms of screening with their clinician and to incorporate their values and preferences in the decision,” the USPSTF states. 

While screening offers a “small potential benefit” of reducing the chances of dying from the disease, health officials warn that some men may experience negative effects. (iStock)

While screening offers a “small potential benefit” of reducing the chances of dying from the disease, the agency noted that some men may experience negative effects, including false-positive results, overdiagnosis and overtreatment, and treatment complications.

Alternative prostate cancer screening methods are currently being researched, including one that uses a non-invasive urine test, as Fox News Digital recently reported.

Survival rates

For localized prostate cancers, where the disease is contained within the prostate, the five-year survival rate is at least 99%, according to the ACS.

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For regional cases, where the disease has spread only to “nearby structures or lymph nodes,” the five-year survival rate is also 99% or greater.

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If the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, the five-year survival rate drops to 37%.

Actual survival rates may vary based on the patient’s age, overall health, how the cancer has progressed post-diagnosis, the disease’s response to treatment, and other factors, the ACS noted.

A family was banned from boarding their flight after British Airways staff became suspicious of insect bites on their baby’s leg, according to a report from SWNS.

Expat Jonathan Arthur, 34, and his wife Xun Sun, 35, were flying from Shanghai Pudong Airport to London Heathrow for a family wedding. 

They noticed some insect bites on their 1-year-old son Joseph’s leg as they approached the boarding gate and asked airline staff where they could buy some allergy medication, just in case.

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When the staff at the boarding gate saw the bites and heard the family talking about allergy medication, they became concerned, the report stated.

“They asked loads of questions after they saw the bites, and so we told them about his mild peanut allergy,” said Jonathan Arthur. “The medical staff at the airport said to apply some ointment and wait 10 minutes, which we were happy to do. But the BA staff said we needed to call their medical advice line. They thought his peanut allergy was the cause — so they didn’t want to take the risk.”

The family also sent photos to an online doctor, who confirmed they were insect bites but recommended administering some antihistamines to help with the swelling.

The baby’s bites were no larger than 1 cm in diameter and disappeared within 10 to 15 minutes after applying the bite cream, causing him no further discomfort, as stated by SWNS.

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“It was nothing more than swollen bites,” said Jonathan Arthur.

The baby’s bites were no larger than 1 cm in diameter and disappeared within 10 to 15 minutes after applying the bite cream, causing him no further discomfort, per the report. (SWNS)

Despite the fact that the baby’s bites were already starting to subside, the airline said the family wouldn’t be allowed to board without a “fit to fly” letter from a doctor.

The Arthurs were escorted away from the gate, “feeling like criminals,” according to the SWNS report. They rebooked with another airline that did not require a medical letter.

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“We were treated like we had done something wrong,” said Jonathan Arthur, per the SWNS report.

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In a statement to Fox News Digital, British Airways stated, “We take the safety and well-being of our customers very seriously and do everything we can to support them when issues like this arise. This includes accessing specialist medical advice to assess an individual’s suitability to travel, which is what happened in this case.”

“Whilst we appreciate our customer was disappointed with this decision, we never compromise passenger safety.”

Despite the family’s assurances that the rash was unrelated to allergy, the airline insisted they wouldn’t be allowed to board without a “fit to fly” letter from a doctor. (SWNS)

Jonathan and Xun Arthur are now in contact with British Airways and their third-party booking agency to claim a refund for the disrupted travel. 

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“I find it strange that someone else in a different country can speak to an airport staff member who isn’t a medical professional, and diagnose and refuse boarding, without seeing the rash,” Jonathan Arthur added. 

“When you pay for a service, you expect to be treated like a customer, not like a hindrance.”

A TikTok video played a key role in one mother’s cancer diagnosis after it prompted her to see a doctor regarding a strange marking on her fingernail, SWNS reported.

Lauren Koltcz, 45, from North Royalton, Ohio, noticed a brown line on her left thumbnail, but thought it was caused by a vitamin deficiency.

“I had this nagging feeling it was something more than a vitamin deficiency,” she said.

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When the brown line became thicker, the mother of two spoke to her nurse practitioner, who said it could be a fungal infection.

“I put some fungal medication on my thumb, but it didn’t do anything,” she said, as SWNS reported.

Then, in February 2025, Koltcz noticed the line spreading across her nail.

“I started researching online and found some TikTok videos from dermatologists,” she recalled.

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In one video, a dermatologist implored those with brown lines on their nails to see a medical professional.

Koltcz booked an appointment at Cleveland Clinic, where doctors took a biopsy of the brown area.

“I had this nagging feeling it was something more than a vitamin deficiency.”

The next day, she got a call from her doctor, Alison Vidimos, MD, who said they needed to do a biopsy.

“I was concerned because the pigmentation on her nail was very dark, there were different shades of brown, and the spot was wider than 3 millimeters,” said Vidimos, who is chairman emeritus of Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Dermatology.

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The biopsy results came back four days later.

“I just couldn’t believe it. Everybody knows someone who’s had cancer, and now I was one of them,” Koltcz said.

Koltcz, pictured here, was diagnosed with subungual melanoma, a skin cancer that develops under the nail. (SWNS)

The results showed that Koltcz had subungual melanoma – a skin cancer that develops under the nail – but they had caught it at stage 0, meaning the melanoma was only in the top layer of the skin.

Subungual melanoma (nail melanoma) is a serious and rare type of skin cancer, accounting for 0.7% to 3.5% of all melanomas worldwide, according to Cleveland Clinic.

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It can impact any nail and discoloration doesn’t always occur, which is why it’s so important to take note of any nail changes.

“When this type of cancer is caught early, there’s over a 95% survival rate,” Vidimos said in a press release from Cleveland Clinic. “But if it’s neglected and not diagnosed at an early stage, it can spread to the lymph nodes and make treatment more challenging.”

Koltcz watched a TikTok video from a dermatologist warning that brown lines on the nail should be checked by a doctor. (SWNS)

Nail melanomas are often diagnosed late, according to the doctor, because people don’t think about checking their nails.

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Prompt surgery removed Koltcz’s cancer and some of the tissue around the area to ensure that no cancer cells remained.

“I just kept thinking, ‘How lucky am I that I caught it in time and had such great doctors to treat it?'”

While she currently shows no evidence of cancer, Koltcz will have regular follow-ups with her dermatologist.

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“I just kept thinking, ‘How lucky am I that I caught it in time and had such great doctors to treat it?'”