stefan_berlin said:Food noise is the best term this community has produced and it describes something the trials did not measure well: the constant background…
The GLP-1 and alcohol use disorder connection, relevant to food noise: observational data from Scandinavian registries shows reduced alcohol-related hospitalizations in GLP-1 agonist users[1].
The mechanism is plausible: GLP-1R is expressed in the mesolimbic reward pathway (VTA, nucleus accumbens). Agonism at these receptors may reduce the reinforcing properties of alcohol, similar to the reduction in "food noise."
RCTs for GLP-1 agonists in AUD are now underway. If positive, this would be a paradigm-shifting repurposing of existing medications.
[1] Wang W, et al. Nat Med. 2024;30:574-584.
A narrower follow-up, since the general answer is now clear:
Did your prescriber agree with that reading, and if not what was their objection?
BiostatsBrad said:The GLP-1 and alcohol use disorder connection, relevant to food noise: observational data from Scandinavian registries shows reduced alcohol-related…
Phantom hunger vs real hunger on food noise: learning to distinguish between the two has been a revelation. Real hunger: gradual onset, physical stomach sensation, any food sounds good. Phantom hunger: sudden, emotionally triggered, specific food cravings, occurs right after eating.
The GLP-1 agonist suppresses real hunger beautifully. Phantom hunger still pops up but I can now recognize it for what it is — an emotional signal, not a physical need. Mindfulness training helped enormously with this distinction.
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Shop Reference StandardsBiostatsBrad said:The GLP-1 and alcohol use disorder connection, relevant to food noise: observational data from Scandinavian registries shows reduced alcohol-related…
BiostatsBrad said:...regarding food noise mechanism of action...
To build on this — the mechanism is more complex than "it makes you less hungry." GLP-1 agonists:
- Activate hypothalamic satiety centers (appetite reduction)
- Delay gastric emptying (prolonged fullness)
- Potentiate glucose-dependent insulin secretion
- Suppress glucagon secretion
- Modulate reward pathway dopaminergic signaling
- Reduce hepatic lipogenesis
- Have direct cardiovascular protective effects
It's a multi-target drug with systemic metabolic effects. Understanding the mechanism helps us predict and manage side effects.
Dr.KarenChen said:Phantom hunger vs real hunger on food noise: learning to distinguish between the two has been a revelation.
Rebound hunger after missed dose of food noise: I missed my injection by 3 days due to a shipping delay and the hunger came ROARING back. Like a switch flipped. It was eye-opening to feel the difference.
This experience actually reinforced my understanding of what the medication does — it's not just "suppressing appetite," it's normalizing dysregulated hunger signaling. When the drug wears off, you feel the full force of what it was managing.