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Someone on an online forum said they’ve been taking “reta” for about two months, lost roughly 30 pounds, and stopped drinking alcohol every day. They also worried that their heart rate shot up and asked whether they should try tirzepatide (a newer diabetes/weight-loss drug) or semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic/Wegovy) next to help with alcohol cravings. That’s the gist: a personal report, weight loss and quitting drinking, plus a question about switching peptides and a mention of a possible fast heartbeat. Tirzepatide and semaglutide are both drugs that were developed for diabetes and are now used for weight loss. Semaglutide copies a natural gut hormone that helps you feel full and slows stomach emptying. Tirzepatide acts like two related gut hormones at once, and that can mean stronger effects on appetite and blood sugar. Neither one is a generic “alcohol cure”; they change hunger, blood sugar, and brain signals tied to reward in ways that sometimes reduce cravings for food — and possibly for substances like alcohol — but that’s not guaranteed. What this single forum post shows is just one person’s experience. It’s an anecdote: one person saying they lost weight and quit alcohol while on “reta” (it’s not clear what drug “reta” refers to). They also report a possible increase in heart rate. There’s no formal study here, no control group, no careful measurement of heart rate or cravings, and no confirmation that the medication caused the changes. Clinical studies on semaglutide and tirzepatide have looked mainly at weight and diabetes outcomes; a few small studies and case reports suggest these drugs might reduce alcohol intake in some people, but evidence is limited and mixed. Why people care is obvious: if a medication could help reduce alcohol cravings, that could change lives. For someone struggling with daily drinking, treatments that reduce urges or make it easier to stop are valuable. If you’re considering switching between these drugs to treat alcohol problems rather than for weight or diabetes, it’s important to know that neither medication is officially approved specifically for alcohol use disorder. Doctors may consider off-label use, but that’s a decision to make with a clinician familiar with addiction and the drugs’ effects. There are real caveats and risks. Both drugs can cause side effects like nausea, diarrhea, low blood sugar (especially if you’re on other diabetes meds), and possibly increases in heart rate in some people. If someone has a racing heart, that could be a side effect or could reflect something else — and it should be checked by a doctor. These drugs can interact with other medications, and they’re not suitable for people with certain conditions (for example, some have warnings about pancreatitis or personal/family history of certain thyroid tumors). Regulatory approvals vary by country, and using them specifically for alcohol cravings is not standard or well-proven. Bottom line: one person’s success is encouraging but not conclusive; talk with a doctor who knows addiction and these medications before switching or starting a peptide to treat alcohol cravings, and get any new heart symptoms checked out promptly.
Source: r/Peptides