A major study finds that people who stop taking popular weight-loss drugs regain kilos four times faster than those using diet and exercise, highlighting that injectable GLP-1 medications may require long-term use and are a starting point, not a cure
When people stop taking the new generation of weight-loss drugs they pile back on the kilos four times faster than they would after ending diet and exercise regimes, new research found Thursday.
But this was mostly because they lost so much weight in the first place, according to the British researchers who conducted the largest and most up-to-date review of the subject.
Weight returns rapidly after stopping injections
A new generation of appetite-suppressing, injectable drugs called GLP-1 agonists have become immensely popular in the last few years, transforming the treatment for obesity and diabetes in many countries.
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They have been found to help people lose between 15–20 percent of their body weight.
“This all appears to be a good news story,” said Susan Jebb, a public health nutrition scientist at Oxford University and co-author of a new BMJ study.
However, recent data has suggested that “around half of people discontinue these medications within a year”.
This might be because of common side effects such as nausea or the price — these drugs can cost over $1,000 a month in the US.
Study tracks regain after stopping popular drugs
The researchers reviewed 37 studies looking at ceasing different weight-loss drugs, finding that participants regained around 0.4 kilograms a month.
Six of the clinical trials involved semaglutide — the ingredient used in Novo Nordisk’s brands Ozempic and Wegovy — and tirzepatide used for Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro and Zepbound.
While taking these two drugs, participants lost an average of nearly 15 kilograms.
After stopping the medication, they regained 10 kilograms within a year, and researchers projected they would return to their original weight within 18 months.
Measurements of heart health, including blood pressure and cholesterol levels, also returned to their original levels after 1.4 years.
Drugs are a starting point, not a cure
People who followed diet and exercise programmes without drugs lost less weight, but took an average of four years to regain it — meaning weight returned four times faster for those who stopped medication.
“Greater weight loss tends to result in faster weight regain,” lead study author Sam West explained, adding that regain was consistently faster after medication regardless of initial weight loss.
Susan Jebb stressed that GLP-1 drugs are “a really valuable tool” but obesity is a chronic, relapsing condition.
“These treatments are a starting point, not a cure,” said Garron Dodd, a researcher at the University of Melbourne.
Disclaimer: Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
