Liraglutide and Alcohol: Is It Safe? Label, Studies
No alcohol interaction is listed, but drinking can worsen nausea and add to low blood sugar risk.
- Verdict
- Fine with care
- Label names it
- 0 of 2
Check a GLP-1 interaction
Saxenda key facts
Half-life about 13 hours: the amount drops by half after 13 h, with about 3% remaining after five half-lives (2.7 d).
For SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes, 56 weeks, the figure was 7.4% of body weight, compared with 3% on placebo.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed).
Liraglutide and alcohol: the verdict
Fine with care
Alcohol interaction is not listed in the labels for liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda). Using diabetes medicines with alcohol can lead to abnormally low blood sugar, according to NIAAA.
Details from the liraglutide label
No line on alcohol. If you drink anything, the main warning involves kidney injury from fluid loss. Fluid loss from vomiting or diarrhea may cause kidney injury. Drink fluids and report any heavy fluid loss.
Source: DailyMed FDA label.
What the studies show
- Drug Interactions section of the label:
- mixing effects on nausea and vomiting:
- abnormally low blood sugar when combined with diabetes medicines
- Acute Pancreatitis warning:
- Alcohol abuse described as a pancreatitis risk factor in
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), niaaa.nih.gov.
The practical rule
Eat something with your drink, and seek help for severe stomach pain that continues.
Source: DailyMed FDA label.
Alcohol with other GLP-1s
None of the 10 GLP-1 labels lists Alcohol in its drug interaction section.
This question also applies to Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Trulicity, Saxenda, and Victoza.