In case you’ve been looking for new methods to advance your weight reduction efforts, you’ve most likely heard about incretin mimetic medication like Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, and Zepbound. Many individuals have reported dramatic weight reduction by taking a majority 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 important to take them ceaselessly to keep up your outcomes?
Brief reply: Once you cease taking incretin mimetics, you’ll possible 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 price — each Mounjaro and Ozempic have an inventory value of about $1,000 for a month’s provide. Out-of-pocket prices will range based mostly in your insurance coverage plan, however they’ll add up shortly, particularly if it’s important to issue them into your month-to-month funds ceaselessly.
These drugs are additionally comparatively new to the scene, which implies their long-term results is probably not totally 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 at all times speak to your physician earlier than beginning (or stopping!) any medicine.
In case you’re contemplating incretin mimetics or their kin for weight reduction, right here’s what you want to know.
How Do Mounjaro and Ozempic Work?
Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy work by mimicking metabolic hormones known as incretins. Therefore, these medication are known as incretin mimetics.
This hormonal mimicry enhances the physique’s capability to keep up wholesome blood sugar ranges. It additionally helps cut back urge for food and meals consumption by making you’re feeling full quicker and for longer after consuming. In consequence, many individuals expertise weight reduction as a secondary impact.
Whereas these medication all work in comparatively comparable methods, there are just a few key variations in relation to their mechanisms of motion and supposed 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 type) are each FDA-approved as first-line remedies for sort 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, docs will generally 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 supposed for adults with weight problems or obese adults with no less than 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 slightly 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 medicine, whereas Zepbound is accepted for weight administration in adults with weight problems, or obese adults with no less than 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 Medication for Weight Loss?
Incretin mimetics may help with weight administration whilst 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 dimensions will possible observe go well with.
Listed below are just a few widespread unintended effects of stopping Mounjaro, Ozempic, and the like:
1. Your urge for food will make a comeback
“[Incretin mimetics’] main impact for weight reduction is to suppress the urge for food and gradual the emptying of the abdomen,” Ali says. “As soon as the medicine 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 desirous to eat extra.”
2. You’ll possible regain a lot of the load you misplaced
As soon as your urge for food is again in full swing, you’ll have to hold an in depth eye in your calorie consumption. “If the affected person shouldn’t be cautious, they’ll begin regaining weight,” Ali says.
One medical trial discovered that, a 12 months after stopping incretin mimetics, contributors had regained a median of two-thirds of the load that they had initially misplaced. Their cardiometabolic enhancements went again to baseline, too.
3. Your blood sugar might rise
Once 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 latest peer-reviewed examine, researchers divided contributors 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 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 achieve.
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 medication like semaglutide and tirzepatide have an effect on the physique, quitting chilly turkey shouldn’t be suggested with out the steering of a doctor. That stated, there isn’t any 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 “fast rebound” in blood glucose ranges and weight achieve after stopping incretin mimetics. These results “should 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 could be attainable 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 important, long-term dietary and life-style modifications, then they’ve a greater probability of maintaining the load off when the drugs are stopped,” Ali says.
As at all times, you will need to bear in mind you need to at all times seek the advice of a healthcare supplier earlier than stopping and restarting Mounjaro, Ozempic, or every other such medicine.
Ought to You Contemplate Taking Weight Loss Medication?
Incretin mimetics could also be getting quite a lot of hype, but it surely’s essential to notice that they’re supposed to be long-term remedies for continual well being points — not only a fast option to lose just a few 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 individuals who meet the medical standards, a weight reduction drug isn’t any substitute for a balanced weight-reduction plan and common train. Consuming nutrient-dense meals continues to be one of the best ways to get the nutritional vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants you want. And a weight reduction medicine can’t stand in for train in relation to enhancing power, cardio capability, coronary heart well being, bone well being, and extra.
How Lengthy Do GLP-1 Medication Keep in Your System?
In accordance with the Meals and Drug Administration, the half-life of tirzepatide is about 5 days. Which means once you cease taking these medication, it could 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 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 supposed for use indefinitely. “Weight problems is being regarded as a continual illness, reminiscent of diabetes or hypertension, so sufferers might must be on these drugs long-term,” Ali says.
