Medications for obesity may improve fertility, but there are many unknowns when it comes to using them during pregnancy.

For the first time, researchers show that tirzepatide—the active ingredient in the diabetes and weight-loss drug Mounjaro—reduces alcohol intake as well as relapse-like behaviors in rats and mice. The findings are considered relevant in the search for new treatments for alcohol use disorder. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have previously demonstrated that semaglutide, found in the diabetes and weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, reduces alcohol consumption in rats. In the current study, published in the journal eBioMedicine, the focus shifts to tirzepatide and Mounjaro.

Could weight-loss drugs shrink the body representation we’ve spent decades seeking?

Tirzepatide may help lower the risk of diabetic retinopathy, a diabetes complication that can lead to vision loss. Douglas Sacha/Getty Images

Weight loss medications Mounjaro and Zepbound, which contain the active ingredient tirzepatide, may lower the risk of diabetic retinopathy.

This diabetes complication occurs when high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels in the retina at the back of the eye.

FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2026 — For patients with diabetes and overweight or obesity, tirzepatide use is associated with a lower incidence of new or progressive diabetic retinopathy (DR) and fewer complications, according to a study published online Jan…

FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2026 — Satisfaction with semaglutide (Ozempic) is mainly driven by effective weight loss despite gastrointestinal side effects, according to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of Medical Internet…

Now that GLP-1 drugs have revolutionized how millions of Americans treat obesity and Type 2 diabetes, scientists are exploring the benefits of using the drugs for a host of other chronic diseases—many with few treatment options—such as heart failure, chronic liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and even substance use disorders.

Gordon Ramsay, celebrity chef, slams restaurants for creating Mounjaro-minded menus, calling the GLP-1-inspired dining trend “stupid” and “embarrassing.”

In this episode of Denatured, you’ll be listening to Jane Hughes, President of R&D and Co-founder of Verdiva Bio, and Jon Rees, CEO and Co-founder of MitoRx Therapeutics. We’ll discuss next-generation obesity solutions tackling GLP-1’s muscle loss and adherence challenges, through innovative muscle preservation, oral administration and combination therapy.