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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
After people stop taking GLP-1s, the effects also end, study finds
People who stop taking GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Zepbound started to regain weight in a short amount of time, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed 11 different studies to understand weight outcomes after stopping anti-obesity medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1s, which mimic the GLP-1 hormone that is produced in the gut after eating. It can help produce more insulin, which reduces blood sugar and therefore helps control Type 2 diabetes. It can also interact with the brain and signal a person to feel full, which -- when coupled with diet and exercise -- can help reduce weight in those who are overweight or obese. MORE: Compound versions of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss halted by FDA The team, from Peking University People's Hospital in China, found that most began to regain weight within about two months of stopping treatment. In many cases, that weight gain continued for several months before leveling off. The study was published Tuesday in the journal BMC Medicine. However, Dr. Louis J. Aronne, founder and former chairman of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, told ABC News that doesn't mean the medications failed. In fact, they worked exactly as intended, he said. Aronne, who is also a physician at Weill Cornell Medicine, said the findings are consistent with what happens when treatment ends for other chronic conditions. "What happens after stopping an obesity medication is exactly what happens after stopping a diabetes, cholesterol-lowering, or a blood pressure medication," he told ABC News. "The effect of the medicine goes away, and people tend to go back to where they started." Patients who had taken GLP-1s tended to lose more weight during treatment, which meant they had more weight to gain back afterward. 'It's not that the medicine didn't work,' Aronne said. 'It's that they lost more weight, so they had more weight to regain.' Even participants who continued healthy eating and exercise habits after stopping medication experienced weight gain. MORE: Compound versions of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss halted by FDA That doesn't mean those efforts weren't worthwhile, Aronne further explained, but rather that obesity is a chronic disease with complex biological drivers. "You wouldn't stop insulin and expect a person's blood sugar to stay low," he said. The researchers noted several limitations, including a small number of included studies and a focus on weight and BMI without tracking other health markers like blood sugar or cholesterol. These medications may not right for everyone, and decisions about starting or stopping should be made with your doctor, according to MedlinePlus. People with certain medical conditions, including a history of pancreatitis or thyroid cancer, may not be good candidates, and should speak with their doctor to decide what management strategies are right for them. Alexandra-Elise Dakaud Patterson, MD, MS, is a general surgery resident at University of Toledo Medical Center and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. Solve the daily Crossword
6 days ago
- Health
GLP-1s work but when they're stopped, the effects stop too: Expert
People who stop taking GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Zepbound started to regain weight in a short amount of time, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed 11 different studies to understand weight outcomes after stopping anti-obesity medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1s, which mimic the GLP-1 hormone that is produced in the gut after eating. It can help produce more insulin, which reduces blood sugar and therefore helps control Type 2 diabetes. It can also interact with the brain and signal a person to feel full, which -- when coupled with diet and exercise -- can help reduce weight in those who are overweight or obese. The team, from Peking University People's Hospital in China, found that most began to regain weight within about two months of stopping treatment. In many cases, that weight gain continued for several months before leveling off. The study was published Tuesday in the journal BMC Medicine. However, Dr. Louis J. Aronne, founder and former chairman of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, told ABC News that doesn't mean the medications failed. In fact, they worked exactly as intended, he said. Aronne, who is also a physician at Weill Cornell Medicine, said the findings are consistent with what happens when treatment ends for other chronic conditions. "What happens after stopping an obesity medication is exactly what happens after stopping a diabetes, cholesterol-lowering, or a blood pressure medication," he told ABC News. "The effect of the medicine goes away, and people tend to go back to where they started." Patients who had taken GLP-1s tended to lose more weight during treatment, which meant they had more weight to gain back afterward. 'It's not that the medicine didn't work,' Aronne said. 'It's that they lost more weight, so they had more weight to regain.' Even participants who continued healthy eating and exercise habits after stopping medication experienced weight gain. That doesn't mean those efforts weren't worthwhile, Aronne further explained, but rather that obesity is a chronic disease with complex biological drivers. "You wouldn't stop insulin and expect a person's blood sugar to stay low," he said. The researchers noted several limitations, including a small number of included studies and a focus on weight and BMI without tracking other health markers like blood sugar or cholesterol. These medications may not right for everyone, and decisions about starting or stopping should be made with your doctor, according to MedlinePlus. People with certain medical conditions, including a history of pancreatitis or thyroid cancer, may not be good candidates, and should speak with their doctor to decide what management strategies are right for them.
Jordan News
6 days ago
- Health
- Jordan News
Study Warns of Weight Regain After Stopping Popular Weight Loss Medications - Jordan News
Weight loss medications are increasingly being used as an effective treatment for obesity, significantly helping adults reduce excess weight. Among the most well-known of these drugs are Ozempic and Wegovy, which both contain the active ingredient semaglutide, along with other approved medications aimed at controlling weight and improving overall health. Numerous studies and clinical trials are being conducted to evaluate the efficacy of these drugs, their effects on the body, and the challenges related to their use and discontinuation. اضافة اعلان In this context, a new study has found that patients taking weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy may regain the weight they lost within a few weeks of stopping the medication. The research team, including scientists from Peking University People's Hospital in China, analyzed data from 11 clinical trials involving around 2,500 participants. They found that most patients gradually regained weight after ending the treatment. The review, published in BMC Medicine, revealed that weight regain typically begins around eight weeks after stopping the medication and may continue for up to 20 weeks before stabilizing. Most of the trials focused on semaglutide, one of six approved medications for treating obesity in adults. Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, semaglutide has gained widespread popularity as an effective weight loss drug. The findings showed that the substantial weight loss achieved through these medications is often followed by a rapid regain once the drugs are discontinued. Researchers also observed that factors such as the type of medication and adherence to lifestyle changes—including diet and exercise—significantly impacted the rate of weight regain. For instance, patients who took tirzepatide for 36 weeks regained nearly half of the lost weight after switching to a placebo. The researchers stressed the need for long-term studies to better understand the factors influencing weight change after discontinuing weight loss medications, with the goal of improving obesity treatment strategies and preventing weight regain. Source: The Independent
India Today
6 days ago
- Health
- India Today
Weight-loss drugs work, but here's when the weight starts to return
Weight-loss drugs have become increasingly popular in India and around the world. From pills to new-age injections, pharmaceutical giants are making losing weight easier than ever a new research review has raised a crucial question: what happens after you stop taking them?According to a new study published in BMC Medicine, many patients who lose weight while on these medications tend to regain it once they stop, and it can happen as quickly as 8 weeks after The research looked at data from 11 previously conducted clinical trials involving nearly 2,500 participants. Of these, six studies focused on semaglutide, the active ingredient in popular drugs like Ozempic and these drugs helped participants lose weight during treatment, the benefits faded after the medications were 4 weeks after stopping the drugs, there was no prominent change in weight compared to those not on 8 weeks, participants began regaining weight, an average of 1.5 kg, compared to the control 12 weeks, the regain continued, an average of 1.76 20 weeks, people had regained 2.5 kg on weight regain was most noticeable in patients who had been on GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, the class of drugs that includes Wegovy and researchers, from Peking University People's Hospital, China, say this rebound effect could happen because once the drugs are stopped, the body's appetite and metabolism tend to return to their original of these medications work by mimicking hormones that regulate hunger and fullness, effects that don't last once the drug is out of the this, the study found that even participants who followed lifestyle changes (like improved diet and exercise) during treatment still experienced weight regain after stopping THIS MEANS FOR LONG-TERM WEIGHT MANAGEMENTCurrently, six drugs are approved for obesity treatment in adults: orlistat, naltrexone-bupropion, semaglutide, liraglutide, tirzepatide and these medicines are often effective for short-term weight loss, they are not a permanent solution by findings support the idea that anti-obesity medications should be seen as part of a broader, long-term strategy, which includes lifestyle changes, behavioural therapy, and even bariatric surgery when and patients alike should focus on building sustainable habits such as nutrition, movement, and stress management, alongside any medical researchers put it, more long-term studies are needed to fully understand how to maintain weight loss after stopping these drugs.- EndsMust Watch
The Hindu
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Weight regain begins 8 weeks after stopping anti-obesity drugs, says study
A review of data from clinical trials of weight-loss drugs has concluded that weight regain begins about eight weeks after stopping these medications, and continues up to 20 weeks, before stabilising at about 26 weeks. The paper 'Trajectory of the body weight after drug discontinuation in the treatment of anti-obesity medications' published in BMC Medicine, an open access, transparent peer-reviewed general medical journal, also observed that at 52 weeks, the subjects of the trial still weighed less than they did before starting medication, but the weight loss was reduced compared to when they were actively taking the drugs. 11 clinical trials The researchers Han Wu et al, from the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Peking University People's Hospital, China, analysed data from 11 clinical trials with 1,573 people taking anti-obesity medication. These medications included: GLP-1 receptor agonists (such as semaglutide, liraglutide), orlistat, naltrexone-bupropion, and phentermine-topiramate. Randomised controlled trials of anti-obesity medications conducted in the population for at least four weeks and followed up for four or more weeks after discontinuation were included. The review sought to examine the post-trial period when the drugs stop, estimate what happens to the weight of these patients, how much weight is regained, how soon do they begin to regain weight and the impact of lifestyle factors on weight. The researchers observed that people who lost more weight during treatment were more likely to regain weight, even if they continued lifestyle interventions (including diet and exercise). Those who started with a lower body mass index (BMI), meaning they were less overweight, showed more weight regain after stopping than those with higher BMI. Interestingly, people taking GLP-1-related drugs experienced more weight regain after stopping than those on other drugs, they reported in the paper. Different weight regain was observed in subjects with different characteristics, the researchers said, adding that studies with a longer follow-up duration are required to further investigate the potential factors associated with weight change after discontinuation of treatment. Hope to many 'This is an interesting study with robust meta analyses, but similar results have been shown in many other trials too,' says Dr. Nanditha, consultant diabetologist, Dr. A. Ramachandran's Diabetes Hospitals, Chennai. 'Any intervention, either when you step down or discontinue, will result in weight gain, even if it is lifestyle modifications.' However, it is important to see the usefulness of these drugs in the context of the obesity epidemic. Obesity, originally, was looked upon as a risk factor, but is now considered a disease by itself. 'Earlier, we did not have many tools to treat it, now these drugs are providing hope to people who can lose weight without surgery. What is clear is that the regain will not take you back to the baseline weight, so while expensive, these drugs should be considered an investment, because the benefits go beyond weight loss,' she said. It may be remembered that another study, published recently in the journal Obesity, showed that semaglutide and tirzepatide — injectable GLP-1 drugs for obesity — produce lower weight loss in a real-world setting, as compared to during the clinical trial, because patients discontinue treatment or use lower maintenance dosages.
