Spironolactone dosage increases reduced alcohol consumption without causing movement or coordination issues or influencing food or water intake.National Institutes of Health
Scientists from the National Institute on Drug Abuse , the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism , both part of the NIH, andMolecular Psychiatry“Combining findings across three species and different types of research studies, and then seeing similarities in those data gives us confidence that we are onto something potentially important scientifically and clinically.
Previous research has shown that mineralocorticoid receptors, which are located throughout the brain and other organs and help regulate fluid and electrolyte balance in the body, might play a role in alcohol use and craving. Preclinical research suggests that higher mineralocorticoid receptor signaling contributes to increased alcohol consumption.
In a parallel study that was part of this team’s collaborative efforts, researchers led by co-senior author Amy C. Justice, M.D., Ph.D., of the Yale School of Medicine, examined health records of a large sample of people from the U.S. Veterans Affairs healthcare system to assess potential changes in alcohol drinking after spironolactone was prescribed for its current clinical indications .