Should you’ve been looking for new methods to advance your weight reduction efforts, you’ve most likely heard about incretin mimetic medicine like Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, and Zepbound. Many individuals have reported dramatic weight reduction by taking a lot of these drugs.
However what occurs if you cease taking incretin mimetics for weight reduction? Do you acquire weight again after quitting, or do you need to take them eternally to keep up your outcomes?
Brief reply: While you cease taking incretin mimetics, you’ll doubtless regain a lot of the weight you misplaced.
That may be discouraging when you think about the downsides of long-term use. For starters, there’s the fee — each Mounjaro and Ozempic have an inventory value of about $1,000 for a month’s provide. Out-of-pocket prices will fluctuate primarily based in your insurance coverage plan, however they will add up shortly, particularly if you need to issue them into your month-to-month funds eternally.
These drugs are additionally comparatively new to the scene, which implies their long-term results is probably not absolutely understood. It’s vital to weigh all of the potential dangers and rewards earlier than deciding whether or not incretin mimetics are best for you. And, after all, it is best to at all times discuss to your physician earlier than beginning (or stopping!) any remedy.
Should you’re contemplating incretin mimetics or their kin for weight reduction, right here’s what it is advisable know.
How Do Mounjaro and Ozempic Work?
Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy work by mimicking metabolic hormones known as incretins. Therefore, these medicine are known as incretin mimetics.
This hormonal mimicry enhances the physique’s skill to keep up wholesome blood sugar ranges. It additionally helps scale back urge for food and meals consumption by making you’re feeling full sooner and for longer after consuming. Because of this, many individuals expertise weight reduction as a secondary impact.
Whereas these medicine all work in comparatively comparable methods, there are just a few key variations on the subject of their mechanisms of motion and meant use.
Semaglutide mechanism of motion
These three drugs are manufactured by Novo Nordisk and comprise the identical energetic ingredient, semaglutide. Semaglutide mimics the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone, which helps to advertise insulin manufacturing, gradual digestion, and suppress urge for food.
Ozempic (injectable) and Rybelsus (tablet kind) are each FDA-approved as first-line therapies for kind 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, docs will typically prescribe these drugs off-label — i.e., not as directed — for weight reduction.
Wegovy, alternatively, is an FDA-approved, injectable model of semaglutide formulated particularly for weight administration. It’s meant for adults with weight problems or obese adults with at the least one weight-related well being situation.
Tirzepatide mechanism of motion
The energetic ingredient in each Mounjaro and Zepbound is tirzepatide. Like semaglutide, tirzepatide mimics the GLP-1 hormone and will increase insulin sensitivity. However tirzepatide’s mechanism of motion additionally mimics the gastric inhibitory peptide hormone (GIP), which helps to advertise insulin secretion and regulate urge for food and satiety.
“There have been research that present that tirzepatide ends in extra weight reduction than semaglutide,” says Mir Ali, MD, bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Middle at Orange Coast Medical Middle in Fountain Valley, CA. “This has been attributed to affecting two receptors moderately than one.”
Mounjaro and Zepbound, that are each administered through once-weekly injections, are manufactured by Eli Lilly. Mounjaro is FDA-approved as a diabetes remedy, whereas Zepbound is authorized for weight administration in adults with weight problems, or obese adults with at the least one weight-related well being situation. (Sound acquainted?)
Like Ozempic and Rybelsus, Mounjaro could also be prescribed off-label for weight reduction.
What Occurs When You Cease Taking GLP-1 Medicine for Weight Loss?
Incretin mimetics may help with weight administration when you’re taking them. However if you cease taking these medicine, your metabolic operate will revert again to its pre-medication state, and the quantity on the dimensions will doubtless observe go well with.
Listed below are just a few widespread negative effects of stopping Mounjaro, Ozempic, and the like:
1. Your urge for food will make a comeback
“[Incretin mimetics’] major impact for weight reduction is to suppress the urge for food and gradual the emptying of the abdomen,” Ali says. “As soon as the remedy is stopped, the urge for food returns to its earlier state and the abdomen resumes emptying on the regular charge. These processes can result in an individual eager to eat extra.”
2. You’ll doubtless regain a lot of the burden you misplaced
As soon as your urge for food is again in full swing, you’ll have to preserve a detailed eye in your calorie consumption. “If the affected person shouldn’t be cautious, they will begin regaining weight,” Ali says.
One medical trial discovered that, a 12 months after stopping incretin mimetics, members had regained a median of two-thirds of the burden that they had initially misplaced. Their cardiometabolic enhancements went again to baseline, too.
3. Your blood sugar might rise
While you cease taking incretin mimetics, Ali says, insulin secretion returns to its earlier state and you might discover a rise in your blood glucose ranges. In a current peer-reviewed examine, researchers divided members into 4 teams. Three teams took tirzepatide in various doses, whereas the fourth group was given the sort 2 diabetes drug dulaglutide.
One 12 months later, all three tirzepatide teams had larger enhancements in blood glucose ranges than the dulaglutide group. Nevertheless, two months after stopping therapy, all 4 teams had re-elevated blood glucose ranges — and the tirzepatide teams have been already experiencing rebound weight acquire.
The examine authors concluded that their findings “recommend a necessity for steady prescription or cautious follow-up when stopping.”
Can You Simply Cease Taking Mounjaro and Ozempic?
Given the extent to which long-term medicine like semaglutide and tirzepatide have an effect on the physique, quitting chilly turkey shouldn’t be suggested with out the steerage of a doctor. That stated, there is no such thing as a compelling proof that discontinuing their use will trigger critical withdrawal signs.
There is a rising physique of analysis, nonetheless, suggesting that many individuals expertise a “fast rebound” in blood glucose ranges and weight acquire after stopping incretin mimetics. These results “aren’t thought of withdrawal signs, however the return of the affected person’s prior physiology,” Ali says.
Preserving weight reduction after quitting incretin mimetics
When you’ve hit your weight reduction targets, it could be doable to cease taking semaglutide and tirzepatide with out regaining a lot weight. However you’ll must be ready to make use of the next life-style methods:
“If a affected person is ready to make vital, long-term dietary and life-style adjustments, then they’ve a greater probability of conserving the burden off when the drugs are stopped,” Ali says.
As at all times, it is very important keep in mind it is best to at all times seek the advice of a healthcare supplier earlier than stopping and restarting Mounjaro, Ozempic, or some other such remedy.
Ought to You Take into account Taking Weight Loss Medicine?
Incretin mimetics could also be getting numerous hype, but it surely’s vital to notice that they’re meant to be long-term therapies for continual well being points — not only a fast solution to lose just a few cussed kilos.
“These drugs are designed for sufferers categorised as overweight with a physique mass index over 30, or over 27 with different co-morbid circumstances,” Ali says.
Even for individuals who meet the medical standards, a weight reduction drug isn’t any substitute for a balanced weight loss program and common train. Consuming nutrient-dense meals remains to be one of the best ways to get the nutritional vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants you want. And a weight reduction remedy can’t stand in for train on the subject of bettering energy, cardio capability, coronary heart well being, bone well being, and extra.
How Lengthy Do GLP-1 Medicine Keep in Your System?
In response to the Meals and Drug Administration, the half-life of tirzepatide is about 5 days. Which means if you cease taking these medicine, it could take round a month for the drug to be fully gone out of your physique.
The half-life of semaglutide is round seven days, so if you cease taking these medicine, it could keep in your system for about 5 weeks after the final dose.
Nevertheless, to keep up their effectiveness, semaglutides and tirzepatides are prescribed for weekly use, they usually’re meant for use indefinitely. “Weight problems is being considered a continual illness, reminiscent of diabetes or hypertension, so sufferers might must be on these drugs long-term,” Ali says.