A new class of weight-loss medications, including semaglutide, has gained popularity for treating obesity. However, a recent study found that most people stop taking these drugs within two years, which often leads to weight regain and a reversal of health benefits.
These medications, known as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, are effective in promoting significant weight loss and improving conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. But when treatment stops, the body’s natural hunger cues return, causing weight to come back.
Other health benefits, such as reduced blood pressure, also tend to disappear after stopping the medication.
A study involving over 120,000 participants found that half stopped treatment within a year, and nearly three-quarters did so by the second year. This drop-off was even higher among those without type 2 diabetes, with 85% quitting after two years. Previous studies have shown that regaining weight is almost inevitable after stopping these medications.
GLP-1 drugs work by mimicking gut hormones that slow digestion and signal fullness to the brain, reducing the urge to eat. However, when these medications are stopped, “the food noise comes back,” according to Janice Jin Hwang, an associate professor of medicine. The body naturally tries to maintain a specific weight range, and when weight is lost, it adapts by increasing appetite and reducing metabolism.
Clinical trials have shown that even after quitting these treatments, some health benefits may persist, but only modestly. For example, a 2022 trial found that participants regained about 12% of their lost weight within a year but still maintained a clinically meaningful 5% weight loss. However, maintaining these benefits requires continued lifestyle changes like diet and exercise.
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