on PinterestResearch shows that people who stop taking GLP-1 medications regain weight within 2 years.
on PinterestResearch shows that people who stop taking GLP-1 medications regain weight within 2 years. Image Credit: Tatsiana Volkava/Getty Images
- A new study has found that people regain weight within 2 years of stopping a GLP-1 drug.
- Metabolic improvements also tend to fade within that time, researchers found.
- Experts advise that slowly tapering off the medication is better than quitting abruptly.
- It’s also important to incorporate supportive changes in diet, exercise, and lifestyle for long-term weight management.
Many people looking to lose weight and improve their health turn to medications like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound).
As noted by the authors of a recent review published in The BMJ, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs can help patients lose between 15% and 20% of their body weight.
However, their findings indicate that despite the success of these medications, people who stop them tend to regain quickly, returning to their original weight within an average of 1.7 years.
During that timeframe, people also experience a reversal of the cardiometabolic health benefits seen while on the medications.
The researchers suggest that a “more comprehensive” approach may be needed in order to achieve lasting weight loss with GLP-1s.
Assessing weight management after GLP-1s
The team of researchers conducted a review of the available evidence to determine the amount of weight people regain when they stop taking GLP-1 medications.
They additionally wanted to examine how they compare to when people lose weight via diet and exercise.
To answer these questions, they searched for and combined results from all available studies to get an overall picture. Altogether, data from 37 studies involving 9,341 adults with overweight or obesity were included.
The studies included randomized controlled trials (considered the gold standard), non-randomized trials, and observation studies. All participants tested the medications for a minimum of 8 weeks, and were followed for at least 4 weeks after ceasing treatment.
Medications included popular GLP-1s, such as semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide, as well as other anti-obesity medications, including orlistat. Some studies combined drug treatments with behavioral supports such as diet and exercise.
For comparison purposes, the research team utilized data from a prior review of behavioral weight management programs and employed statistical models to estimate the average rate at which individuals regained weight after discontinuing medication.
They also examined changes in blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure to determine if participants maintained the improvements they experienced while on the medication.
Most people regained all their weight after GLP-1s
When they reviewed the data, they found that people lost an average of 8.3 kilograms (about 18 pounds) while they were using medication.
However, once they stopped treatment, they regained their lost weight at a rate of about 0.4 kilograms (nearly 1 pound) per month. And, within an average of about 1.7 years, most had regained all of their weight.
They additionally noted that newer drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide were associated with an even faster rate of regain: about 2 pounds per month with a return to baseline in about 1.5 years.
When the researchers compared weight regain after stopping medication to weight regain following the cessation of behavioral weight
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