Individuals who cease taking prescription weight reduction medicines typically regain weight and lose most of the well being enhancements they achieved, in keeping with a examine printed by The BMJ. The evaluation discovered that advantages tied to coronary heart and metabolic well being, together with enhancements in levels of cholesterol and blood strain, are inclined to fade after remedy ends.
On common, people regained about 0.4 kilograms per thirty days after stopping treatment. Based mostly on these traits, physique weight and key danger markers for diabetes and coronary heart illness had been projected to return to pre-treatment ranges in beneath two years.
The examine additionally discovered that weight regain after stopping treatment occurred a lot sooner than after weight reduction achieved by way of weight loss plan and bodily exercise. In truth, the tempo of regain was almost 4 occasions larger, no matter how a lot weight an individual initially misplaced.
“This proof means that regardless of their success in attaining preliminary weight reduction, these medication alone might not be adequate for long run weight management,” the researchers write.
GLP-1 Medication Have Modified Weight problems Therapy, However Many Cease Taking Them
Newer weight reduction medicines, together with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists reminiscent of semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound), have considerably reshaped weight problems remedy by serving to many sufferers lose substantial quantities of weight.
Nevertheless, about half of individuals with weight problems cease utilizing GLP-1 medication inside a yr. That top discontinuation price makes it particularly necessary to grasp what occurs to weight and well being dangers associated to diabetes and coronary heart illness as soon as remedy is discontinued.
How the Researchers Analyzed Weight Regain
To look at these outcomes, researchers from the College of Oxford reviewed medical trials and observational research involving adults who used medicines authorised for weight reduction. These outcomes had been in contrast with outcomes from non-drug approaches reminiscent of behavioral weight administration packages or placebo remedies.
Though the included research various in design and high quality, the analysis crew evaluated potential bias utilizing established evaluation instruments to make sure consistency throughout the evaluation.
In complete, 37 research printed by way of February 2025 had been included, overlaying 9,341 individuals. On common, individuals acquired weight reduction remedy for 39 weeks and had been adopted for about 32 weeks afterward.
Well being Advantages Fade Inside Years After Stopping Therapy
Throughout the research, individuals who stopped taking weight reduction medication regained a mean of 0.4 kilograms per thirty days. Based mostly on this price, researchers estimated that physique weight would return to pre-treatment ranges inside about 1.7 years.
Cardiometabolic danger markers confirmed an analogous sample. Measures associated to coronary heart illness and metabolic well being had been projected to return to baseline inside roughly 1.4 years after treatment was discontinued.
Weight regain was additionally persistently sooner following drug-based weight reduction than after behavioral weight administration packages, with a mean distinction of 0.3 kilograms per thirty days. This sample held true no matter how a lot weight was misplaced throughout remedy.
Examine Limitations and Power of the Findings
The authors word a number of limitations. Solely eight of the included research examined newer GLP-1 medicines, and none adopted individuals for greater than 12 months after stopping remedy. As well as, comparatively few research had been rated as having a low danger of bias.
Even so, the researchers emphasize that they used three completely different analytical approaches, all of which produced comparable outcomes. This consistency provides confidence to their general conclusions.
Consultants Urge Lengthy-Time period Methods Past Treatment
Based mostly on the findings, the authors conclude: “This proof cautions in opposition to brief time period use of weight administration medicines, emphasizes the necessity for additional analysis into price efficient methods for long run weight management, and reinforces the significance of major prevention.”
A US researcher echoed these issues in a linked editorial, writing that “The examine findings solid doubt on the notion that GLP-1 receptor agonists are an ideal treatment for weight problems.”
“Folks taking GLP-1 receptor agonists ought to pay attention to the excessive discontinuation price and the results of cessation of medicines,” he provides. “Wholesome dietary and life-style practices ought to stay the muse for weight problems remedy and administration, with medicines reminiscent of GLP-1 receptor agonists used as adjuncts.”
“Such practices not solely assist forestall extra weight achieve however can even result in quite a few well being advantages that transcend weight management,” he concludes.
