For those who’ve been trying to find 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 these kinds of medicines.
However what occurs whenever you cease taking incretin mimetics for weight reduction? Do you acquire weight again after quitting, or do it’s a must to take them ceaselessly to keep up your outcomes?
Brief reply: If you cease taking incretin mimetics, you’ll seemingly regain many 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 a listing 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 rapidly, particularly if it’s a must to issue them into your month-to-month finances ceaselessly.
These medicines are additionally comparatively new to the scene, which suggests their long-term results will not be 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, in fact, you must all the time discuss to your physician earlier than beginning (or stopping!) any medicine.
For those who’re contemplating incretin mimetics or their kin for weight reduction, right here’s what it’s worthwhile 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 potential to keep up wholesome blood sugar ranges. It additionally helps scale back urge for food and meals consumption by making you are feeling full sooner and for longer after consuming. In consequence, many individuals expertise weight reduction as a secondary impact.
Whereas these medication all work in comparatively related methods, there are a number of key variations relating to their mechanisms of motion and meant use.
Semaglutide mechanism of motion
These three medicines are manufactured by Novo Nordisk and include 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 type) are each FDA-approved as first-line therapies for sort 2 diabetes. Nonetheless, docs will typically prescribe these medicines 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 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 relatively 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 permitted 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 Medication for Weight Loss?
Incretin mimetics can assist with weight administration when you’re taking them. However whenever you cease taking these medication, your metabolic perform will revert again to its pre-medication state, and the quantity on the dimensions will seemingly comply with go well with.
Listed here are a number of widespread uncomfortable side 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 eager to eat extra.”
2. You’ll seemingly regain a lot of the load you misplaced
As soon as your urge for food is again in full swing, you’ll must preserve a detailed eye in your calorie consumption. “If the affected person will not be cautious, they will begin regaining weight,” Ali says.
One scientific trial discovered that, a yr after stopping incretin mimetics, contributors had regained a mean of two-thirds of the load they’d initially misplaced. Their cardiometabolic enhancements went again to baseline, too.
3. Your blood sugar could rise
If 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 research, 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 yr later, all three tirzepatide teams had larger 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 acquire.
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 will not be suggested with out the steerage of a doctor. That mentioned, there isn’t any compelling proof that discontinuing their use will trigger critical withdrawal signs.
There is a rising physique of analysis, nevertheless, suggesting that many individuals expertise a “speedy rebound” in blood glucose ranges and weight acquire after stopping incretin mimetics. These results “usually are not thought-about 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 might be potential to cease taking semaglutide and tirzepatide with out regaining a lot weight. However you’ll have to 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 maintaining the load off when the medicines are stopped,” Ali says.
As all the time, you will need to bear in mind you must all the time seek the advice of a healthcare supplier earlier than stopping and restarting Mounjaro, Ozempic, or every other such medicine.
Ought to You Think about Taking Weight Loss Medication?
Incretin mimetics could also be getting a whole lot of hype, nevertheless it’s vital to notice that they’re meant to be long-term therapies for power well being points — not only a fast approach to lose a number of cussed kilos.
“These medicines 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 scientific standards, a weight reduction drug is not any substitute for a balanced food plan 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 medicine can’t stand in for train relating to bettering energy, cardio capability, coronary heart well being, bone well being, and extra.
How Lengthy Do GLP-1 Medication Keep in Your System?
Based on the Meals and Drug Administration, the half-life of tirzepatide is about 5 days. Which means whenever you cease taking these medication, it might 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 whenever 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, and so they’re meant for use indefinitely. “Weight problems is being considered a power illness, corresponding to diabetes or hypertension, so sufferers could have to be on these medicines long-term,” Ali says.
