I’d like to think of myself as a pretty regular person, and so the experiences I have I tend to feel like generally relate to many others, and so I’m sure that much like myself, you’ve seen the number of friends you have who verbalize that they’re on weight loss drug X, Y, or Z go up and up and up. It’s certainly something I’ve wanted to understand more – mostly because I’m a chubby kid myself. I’m not alone either in my chubbiness; as you look at the last 30 years here in the United States, adults that are either overweight or obese have nearly doubled, and currently we’re hovering somewhere around 75 percent of adults in the United States being categorized as such. With a population right now at three hundred forty million people, the math there is, well, a LOT.
We modern humans are a sedentary bunch. In general, we are usually looking for the easiest way to get from A to B – whether that be using Waze to route to wherever we’ve got reservations for dinner or be that shedding a few pounds without the months of hard work and dieting that are usually required. Enter stage right Ozempic, Wegovy, Trulicity, Mounjaro, and Victoza a group of drugs known as GLP-1 agonists which 13 percent of Americans have now tried. Prescriptions for Ozempic and similar drugs were 5.4% of all prescriptions in September of last year with 2024 being the high water mark on these drugs use – with 2025 potentially queued up for breaking another record. Given what I’ve seen in the market in the past year, it got me thinking…are the ripples on the proverbial Ozempic pond having an impact on bourbon consumption?
Interestingly, and perhaps not surprisingly to some of you, weight loss drugs in the GLP-1 agonist group can influence your relationship with alcohol, including bourbon, in a few ways.
Reduced Cravings. As these drugs target your GLP-1 receptors which regulate your appetite and cravings they can also reduce your desire for alcohol, with some users reporting feeling less inclined to drink when on these drugs.
Lower Tolerance. As you shed weight, with some folks losing 10 percent or more of their body weight due to the use of these drugs, often times the shedding of pounds correlates with lowered beveraging. If you’re consuming fewer calories, that snort of full proof bourbon is going to hit what’s left of you harder than it used to.
Side Effects. When you’re on weight loss drugs such as GLP-1 agonists alcohol consumption can lead to an increase in side effects like nausea or even cause low blood sugar, meaning you may be less apt to want a drink given what may come along with it.
Behavioral Changes. Some studies suggest that these drugs might alter the “reward” you feel from drinking, making it less appealing.
Taken as a whole these factors may make alcohol, including bourbon, consumption less appealing for users of these drugs.
Interestingly, Americans’ drinking habits have been remarkably steady in the review of the past decade or more with Gallup showing that more than three in five American’s enjoy imbibing with wine, liquor or beer, and one of those three admitting to overindulging, sometimes. Again, statistics that have generally held firm. Gallup also finds that for individuals who had an annual household income of $100,000 or more nearly 80% of those folks enjoyed beveraging – nearly 20% higher than lower income categories. It’s probably not a huge leap to suggest that, especially when looking at the secondary bourbon market, there is likely a disproportionate number of sales that tie to individuals who would fit into a higher income bracket given allocated bourbon would be best described as a “luxury” item.
With that backdrop in mind, not surprisingly, most insurers don’t cover the cost of these GLP-1 agonist type drugs which can be up to $1,300 a month, according to USA Today. With the costs of everything still elevated from the past few years of inflation running amuck, there’s a relatively narrow segment of the population that can even afford the outlay to cover such costs. I would supplant that many individuals who can afford GLP-1 agonists likely overlap with the demographic that enjoys premium bourbon. However, with these drugs potentially reducing alcohol cravings and altering the reward experience, it’s plausible that bourbon consumption patterns could shift among this group.
For the secondary bourbon market, this might mean fewer people vying for highly allocated bottles, potentially loosening the demand that has surged in recent years. Conversely, dedicated bourbon enthusiasts may not let lifestyle changes completely dampen their passion for collecting or enjoying rare finds. It will be fascinating to see if GLP-1 drugs subtly reshape the luxury spirits market—or if bourbon lovers will adapt and keep their collections flowing.
As GLP-1 agonist drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy continue to gain traction, their impact might extend beyond personal health transformations and into the world of luxury bourbon. With reduced alcohol cravings, altered reward pathways, and side effects influencing consumption, these drugs could subtly reshape the behaviors of higher-income bourbon enthusiasts. While it’s too early to definitively measure the ripple effects, the intersection of these health and lifestyle trends is undeniably fascinating. Whether it leads to more accessible pricing or shifts in market dynamics, one thing is certain—bourbon lovers and the spirits industry alike will be watching closely.
Data matters and having up-to-date and reliable information to make informed decisions about buying, selling or trading coveted bottles of brownwater is critical. The secondary market doesn’t stand still and neither do we in cataloguing and providing the web’s most accurate, reliable and up-to-date pricing around. As new bottles hit the market, their pricing changes daily…finding a ceiling, and eventually a floor. The market shifts up and down, commensurate with the economy – with the bourbon secondary market down just over eleven percent over the past fourteen months. If you’re looking for a resource that’s based on real data, grounded in actual verified sales on the secondary market, is updated regularly, and has values for over 6,000 bottles and growing at your fingertips, you need to look no further than the Bourboneur App for iOS and Android. The app does require a paid subscription, only $3 per month or $25 a year, which easily pays for itself!
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