Can you drink alcohol while taking Wegovy?

Have you recently started taking the popular weight loss drug, Wegovy? If so, you might be wondering if it’s okay to mix Wegovy and alcohol. 

Here’s the good news: There’s no specific contraindication between alcohol and Wegovy, so it’s probably fine to have the occasional beer or glass of wine. Don’t go hog wild, though. There are some things you should know when it comes to drinking alcohol while on Wegovy, and it may be best to avoid mixing the two as much as possible. Let’s dive a little deeper.  

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The official drug labeling for Wegovy (semaglutide) doesn’t list any interactions between Wegovy and alcohol, which means alcohol isn’t known to affect this medication. So, the short answer is yes, you can drink alcohol while on Wegovy, but here’s where things get a little tricky.

Drinking alcoholic beverages, and especially excessive alcohol consumption, can increase your risk for some other issues that might be more of a problem if you’re taking Wegovy. And Wegovy side effects with alcohol may be worse than without alcohol.

It’s also important to consider that alcohol intake is a risk factor for obesity and weight gain, so drinking might work against your goal to reach and maintain a healthy weight. Plus, many alcoholic drinks are high in calories and can make it harder to stick to a healthy eating plan.

Let’s look at some ways Wegovy and alcohol might interact, and why a healthy dose of caution is probably a good idea when it comes to mixing the two. 

There hasn’t been any research to date on the potential interactions between Wegovy and alcohol. Still, “there are several reasons to be cautious with alcohol when using Wegovy,” says Eldad Einav, M.D., a board-certified cardiologist and obesity medicine specialist, and founder of the Beverly Hills-based weight management practice, myW8. 

Specifically, Dr. Einav points to the following potential issues to have on your radar: 

Faster intoxication

One way semaglutide works for weight management is by slowing gastric emptying—meaning it keeps food in the stomach for longer, which helps people feel fuller and decreases overeating. 

This is great for weight management, but can present some issues when alcohol is added into the mix. Dr. Einav shares that slowed gastric emptying “can enhance alcohol’s effects, leading to faster intoxication and prolonged absorption.” 

Another related effect, according to Dr. Einav, is lower alcohol tolerance. “Some users report that even small amounts of alcohol affect them more strongly while on Wegovy,” he says. People can respond differently to any drug or substance (including alcohol), so it’s best to take it slow and see how each of these impacts you. 

Increased gastrointestinal (GI) issues

Wegovy may seem like a dream medication for many people, but it does come with some potential downsides. In clinical trials, up to 44% of people reported nausea, 30% reported diarrhea, and 24% reported vomiting, amongst some other potential side effects. The vast majority of people can tolerate these side effects, and they do improve with time, but there’s no question Wegovy can take a toll on the digestive system.

Combine that with alcohol, and things could get dicey. We know (from the research, but also, first-hand experience for most of us at one time or another) that alcohol is associated with all sorts of fun GI issues, like vomiting and diarrhea. 

As Dr. Einav points out, “Wegovy commonly causes nausea, and alcohol can worsen this, increasing the risk of vomiting and dehydration.”

If you have experienced those unpleasant side effects from Wegovy, you may want to be extra cautious with drinking alcohol. 

Worsened GERD

In addition to GI issues like nausea and vomiting, Wegovy can cause symptoms like reflux (also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD). Since alcohol is known to cause GERD as well, Dr. Einav says “people with GERD who mix Wegovy and alcohol may experience worsening symptoms like heartburn, regurgitation, or discomfort.” 

In fact, as we’ll see below, Dr. Einav recommends that people with a history of GERD should be extra cautious with combining Wegovy and alcohol, and may want to avoid doing so altogether. 

Higher risk of hypoglycemia 

Wegovy is part of a drug class called GLP-1s (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists). These drugs were originally introduced to the market to help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Wegovy is approved for weight loss in certain people with obesity or overweight, but some other similar drugs (like Ozempic and Mounjaro) are still primarily used for diabetic blood sugar control (though, they’re also prescribed off-label to help with weight management). 

Lower blood sugar is good if your glucose is too high. If you’re on the edge, though, there’s a risk of these drugs lowering your blood sugar too much, leading to hypoglycemia. 

“While hypoglycemia is rare with GLP-1 medications,” says Dr. Einav, “it has been documented in clinical trials. Since alcohol also affects blood sugar levels, combining it with Wegovy may increase the risk of hypoglycemia, especially in people with diabetes.”

If you know you have issues with your blood sugar, or take insulin or other medications to lower your blood sugar, it might be best to abstain from alcohol while taking Wegovy, to be on the safe side. 

Potential greater risk for pancreatitis

Heavy alcohol use is a major risk factor for pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Wegovy’s prescribing information lists pancreatitis as a potential risk, though a more recent meta-analysis looking at nearly 35,000 patients shows this risk may have been overblown. 

Still, there’s a chance that drinking a lot of alcohol while taking Wegovy could compound the risk for pancreatitis, so it might not be the best idea to combine the two, especially if you have a history of pancreatitis or other risk factors for this potentially life-threatening disease. 

If you have a personal or family history of pancreatitis, be sure to let your healthcare provider know. In some cases, they may tell you Wegovy is not an appropriate drug for you, depending on your situation, in which case, they may recommend a different approach. If you do have this history, be sure to ask if you need to be extra careful about drinking alcohol while taking Wegovy. 

It’s not clear that timing matters much when it comes to mixing Wegovy and alcohol. That’s because Wegovy is a relatively long-acting drug.

“Wegovy stays active in the body all week due to its long half-life of about seven days,” says Dr. Einav. That explains why Wegovy gets injected once a week, just as its effects are beginning to wane. 

Dr. Einav says that some patients experience more of the side effects of Wegovy in the first day or so after injecting, with side effects improving over the course of the week. It’s possible, then, that the effects of mixing Wegovy and alcohol would be more pronounced during that period. As such, Dr. Einav recommends, “Those prone to nausea or GERD may want to avoid drinking within 48 hours after dosing.” 

In other words, listen to your body. If you’re feeling sick to your stomach after your Wegovy dose, it’s best to hold off on having a drink for at least a couple of days—assuming you follow the tips in the next section. 

Wegovy is a drug that’s meant to be taken long-term. Studies show that, like any weight loss method, when you stop it, you’re likely to regain the weight you’ve lost. So, you might have a hard time wrapping your head around the idea of never having a drink while taking it (which could be a long time). As long as you’re careful and take precautions, it’s likely okay to have the occasional drink while on Wegovy. 

Here are some strategies to keep in mind:

• Don’t overdo it. Since, as Dr. Einav points out, you may experience enhanced effects from alcohol while on Wegovy, it’s important to take it slow and limit yourself. You certainly don’t want to exceed the recommended daily limit of one drink for women or two drinks for men, but even that might be more than your body can handle while on Wegovy.

• Drink plenty of water. Alcohol is dehydrating, and Wegovy may lead to dehydration, too. So, it’s important to stay hydrated to try to minimize these compounded effects. 

• Don’t drink on an empty stomach. If you’re going to have a drink, it’s important to eat something first. It’s not just a myth; drinking on an empty stomach really does make you drunker. Without food to help with absorption, alcohol gets metabolized faster so it hits the bloodstream quicker. 

• Pay attention to your body signals. If you start to feel yourself getting nauseated or dizzy, or you experience any other symptoms like GERD or diarrhea, it’s important to pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you’re consistently finding yourself reacting badly to alcohol while taking Wegovy, it might make sense to stop altogether. 

Following these tips can make a big difference in minimizing the potential nasty effects of combining alcohol and Wegovy. 

Some people need to be extra cautious when it comes to drinking alcohol while on Wegovy, and probably should avoid mixing the two altogether. Specifically: 

• People with a history of alcohol use disorder. We’ll see in the next section that there are some reports Wegovy may help reduce alcohol cravings, but Dr. Einav says “others may still be at risk of excessive drinking.” With or without Wegovy, it’s best to avoid alcohol if you have a history of alcohol use disorder. 

• People with diabetes. If you have diabetes, you’re at greater risk of the potential hypoglycemic effects of both alcohol and Wegovy, “especially if you take insulin or sulfonylureas,” adds Dr. Einav. Sulfonylureas are oral diabetes medications like glyburide and glimepiride.

• People with GERD or gastroparesis. “If you have gastroparesis or GERD,” Dr. Einav says, “alcohol can worsen symptoms, since both Wegovy and alcohol can contribute to acid reflux and delayed gastric emptying.”

The important thing is making smart, informed decisions when choosing whether to combine alcohol and Wegovy. Follow these tips and you’ll be much better prepared. 

There’s another potential connection between Wegovy and alcohol. Emerging research suggests semaglutide may decrease alcohol cravings in people with alcohol use disorder. 

• One randomized study published in JAMA looked at 48 heavy drinkers. Those taking semaglutide showed significant improvements in alcohol consumption and cravings. 

• Another case series published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry on six patients with alcohol use disorder, taking semaglutide for weight loss, showed similarly significant results. It’s a small sample size, but still noteworthy.

The link may be quite a bit stronger than those small studies indicate, though. One large retrospective study published in October 2024 looked at over 800,000 patients with alcohol use disorder. Those who had taken semaglutide were 50% less likely to abuse alcohol (i.e., become intoxicated). That’s pretty significant! 

Since this was a retrospective study, though—meaning researchers looked back at existing data to find patterns, as opposed to a placebo-controlled trial—more research is needed. Researchers through the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) are currently conducting a clinical trial to learn more about this link (along with semaglutide’s potential impacts on other addictive behaviors, like smoking and drug abuse), so stay tuned. 

Even though there’s technically no contraindication for alcohol listed on Wegovy’s drug labeling, it’s probably best to use caution with alcohol while taking this drug. 

• One of the ways Wegovy works is by slowing down digestion. This can enhance alcohol’s effects, increasing intoxication, so it’s best to drink less than you normally would. 

• Both Wegovy and alcohol can cause gastrointestinal issues, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Drinking alcohol while taking Wegovy can make these side effects worse. 

• There is a potential risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) with Wegovy and alcohol, so the combination may increase this risk. 

• Some people should be extra careful with combining alcohol and Wegovy, especially people with a history of GERD, alcohol use disorder, or type 2 diabetes. 

• New (and developing) research seems to suggest semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy) could help combat addictive behaviors, including alcohol use disorder. So, taking Wegovy may lessen your cravings for alcohol overall. 

Wegovy and other GLP-1 receptor agonists can be very helpful in achieving your weight loss goals (if you’re a good candidate for these medications), but be sure to follow your healthcare provider’s sound medical advice. Ro’s Body Program can help you get the convenient guidance you need on your weight loss journey. 

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How we reviewed this article

Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

Editorial Guidelines | Medical Review Process

Current version

March 06, 2025

Written by

Rachel Honeyman

Fact checked by

Beverly Tchang, MD, DABOM and Patricia Weiser, PharmD

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About the medical reviewers

Beverly Tchang, MD, DABOM

Beverly Tchang, MD, DABOM, is an Obesity Medicine Advisor for Ro. She is also an assistant professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York and triple board-certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Obesity Medicine.

Patricia Weiser, PharmD

Patricia Weiser, PharmD, is a licensed pharmacist, health content writer, and medical reviewer with more than a decade of clinical experience in community and hospital pharmacy.