In the event you’ve been looking for new methods to advance your weight reduction efforts, you’ve in all probability heard about incretin mimetic medication like Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, and Zepbound. Many individuals have reported dramatic weight reduction by taking some of these drugs.
However what occurs once you cease taking incretin mimetics for weight reduction? Do you achieve weight again after quitting, or do it’s a must to take them endlessly to keep up your outcomes?
Brief reply: Whenever you cease taking incretin mimetics, you’ll probably 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 associated 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’ll add up shortly, particularly if it’s a must to issue them into your month-to-month price range endlessly.
These drugs are additionally comparatively new to the scene, which suggests their long-term results is probably not absolutely understood. It’s essential to weigh all of the potential dangers and rewards earlier than deciding whether or not incretin mimetics are best for you. And, after all, you need to all the time discuss to your physician earlier than beginning (or stopping!) any treatment.
In the event you’re contemplating incretin mimetics or their kin for weight reduction, right here’s what you have to know.
How Do Mounjaro and Ozempic Work?
Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy work by mimicking metabolic hormones referred to as incretins. Therefore, these medication are known as incretin mimetics.
This hormonal mimicry enhances the physique’s capacity to keep up wholesome blood sugar ranges. It additionally helps cut back urge for food and meals consumption by making you are feeling full quicker and for longer after consuming. Because of this, many individuals expertise weight reduction as a secondary impact.
Whereas these medication all work in comparatively related methods, there are a couple of 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 include the identical lively 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 remedies for sort 2 diabetes. Nonetheless, docs will generally prescribe these drugs off-label — i.e., not as directed — for weight reduction.
Wegovy, however, 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 very least one weight-related well being situation.
Tirzepatide mechanism of motion
The lively 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 quite than one.”
Mounjaro and Zepbound, that are each administered by way of once-weekly injections, are manufactured by Eli Lilly. Mounjaro is FDA-approved as a diabetes treatment, whereas Zepbound is authorised for weight administration in adults with weight problems, or obese adults with at the very 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 will help with weight administration when you’re taking them. However once you cease taking these medication, your metabolic operate will revert again to its pre-medication state, and the quantity on the size will probably comply with go well with.
Listed below are a couple of 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 treatment is stopped, the urge for food returns to its earlier state and the abdomen resumes emptying on the regular price. These processes can result in an individual desirous to eat extra.”
2. You’ll probably regain a lot of the burden you misplaced
As soon as your urge for food is again in full swing, you’ll have to maintain an in depth eye in your calorie consumption. “If the affected person isn’t cautious, they’ll begin regaining weight,” Ali says.
One medical trial discovered that, a 12 months after stopping incretin mimetics, members had regained a mean of two-thirds of the burden they’d initially misplaced. Their cardiometabolic enhancements went again to baseline, too.
3. Your blood sugar might rise
Whenever you cease taking incretin mimetics, Ali says, insulin secretion returns to its earlier state and you could discover a rise in your blood glucose ranges. In a current peer-reviewed research, researchers divided members into 4 teams. Three teams took tirzepatide in various doses, whereas the fourth group was given the kind 2 diabetes drug dulaglutide.
One 12 months later, all three tirzepatide teams had higher enhancements in blood glucose ranges than the dulaglutide group. Nonetheless, two months after stopping remedy, all 4 teams had re-elevated blood glucose ranges — and the tirzepatide teams have been already experiencing rebound weight achieve.
The research authors concluded that their findings “counsel 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 medication like semaglutide and tirzepatide have an effect on the physique, quitting chilly turkey isn’t suggested with out the steering of a doctor. That mentioned, there isn’t a compelling proof that discontinuing their use will trigger severe withdrawal signs.
There is a rising physique of analysis, nevertheless, suggesting that many individuals expertise a “speedy rebound” in blood glucose ranges and weight achieve after stopping incretin mimetics. These results “are usually not 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 objectives, it might be attainable to cease taking semaglutide and tirzepatide with out regaining a lot weight. However you’ll should be ready to make use of the next life-style methods:
“If a affected person is ready to make important, long-term dietary and life-style modifications, then they’ve a greater likelihood of holding the burden off when the drugs are stopped,” Ali says.
As all the time, it is very important bear in mind you need to all the time seek the advice of a healthcare supplier earlier than stopping and restarting Mounjaro, Ozempic, or every other such treatment.
Ought to You Contemplate Taking Weight Loss Medicine?
Incretin mimetics could also be getting loads of hype, but it surely’s essential to notice that they’re meant to be long-term remedies for persistent well being points — not only a fast solution to lose a couple of cussed kilos.
“These drugs are designed for sufferers categorized as overweight with a physique mass index over 30, or over 27 with different co-morbid situations,” Ali says.
Even for many who meet the medical standards, a weight reduction drug is not any substitute for a balanced eating regimen and common train. Consuming nutrient-dense meals remains to be one of the simplest ways to get the nutritional vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants you want. And a weight reduction treatment 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 line with the Meals and Drug Administration, the half-life of tirzepatide is about 5 days. Which means once you cease taking these medication, it might take round a month for the drug to be utterly gone out of your physique.
The half-life of semaglutide is round seven days, so once you cease taking these medication, it might keep in your system for roughly 5 weeks after the final dose.
Nonetheless, to keep up their effectiveness, semaglutides and tirzepatides are prescribed for weekly use, they usually’re meant for use indefinitely. “Weight problems is being regarded as a persistent illness, equivalent to diabetes or hypertension, so sufferers might should be on these drugs long-term,” Ali says.