A pill may curb binge drinking, researchers have found
Fox News
A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that the oral pill known as naltrexone significantly reduced binge-drinking outcomes when taken on an as-needed basis.
"Our study found that naltrexone taken on an as-needed basis reduced heavy alcohol use, compared to [a] placebo," lead author Glenn-Milo Santos told Fox News Digital. "We also found sustained reductions in heavy alcohol use six months after the treatment phase." "Naltrexone decreases the reward that you get from drinking." The naltrexone group in the study experienced more nausea, which is a common side effect of the medication; it eventually resolved. "Even modest reductions in alcohol use can have positive health impacts."
Santos is a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, in the department of community health systems and the division of prevention science in Northern California.