When 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 all these drugs.
However what occurs while you cease taking incretin mimetics for weight reduction? Do you acquire weight again after quitting, or do it’s a must to take them eternally to take care of your outcomes?
Quick reply: Whenever you cease taking incretin mimetics, you’ll probably 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 associated fee — each Mounjaro and Ozempic have an inventory value of about $1,000 for a month’s provide. Out-of-pocket prices will differ primarily based in your insurance coverage plan, however they’ll add up rapidly, particularly if it’s a must to issue them into your month-to-month price range eternally.
These drugs are additionally comparatively new to the scene, which suggests their long-term results will not be absolutely understood. It’s necessary 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 speak to your physician earlier than beginning (or stopping!) any treatment.
When you’re contemplating incretin mimetics or their kin for weight reduction, right here’s what it’s good 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 potential to take care of 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. Consequently, many individuals expertise weight reduction as a secondary impact.
Whereas these medication all work in comparatively comparable methods, there are a number of key variations in terms 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, sluggish digestion, and suppress urge for food.
Ozempic (injectable) and Rybelsus (capsule kind) 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, however, is an FDA-approved, injectable model of semaglutide formulated particularly for weight administration. It’s meant for adults with weight problems or chubby adults with a minimum of 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 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 permitted for weight administration in adults with weight problems, or chubby adults with a minimum of 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 also help with weight administration when you’re taking them. However while you cease taking these medication, your metabolic operate will revert again to its pre-medication state, and the quantity on the dimensions will probably observe swimsuit.
Listed here are a number of frequent unwanted 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 sluggish 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 fee. These processes can result in an individual eager to eat extra.”
2. You’ll probably regain a lot of the load you misplaced
As soon as your urge for food is again in full swing, you’ll must hold a detailed eye in your calorie consumption. “If the affected person is just not cautious, they’ll begin regaining weight,” Ali says.
One medical trial discovered that, a yr after stopping incretin mimetics, members had regained a median of two-thirds of the load they’d initially misplaced. Their cardiometabolic enhancements went again to baseline, too.
3. Your blood sugar could rise
Whenever you cease taking incretin mimetics, Ali says, insulin secretion returns to its earlier state and it’s possible you’ll 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 sort 2 diabetes drug dulaglutide.
One yr 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 had 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 is just not suggested with out the steering of a doctor. That stated, there isn’t 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 “speedy rebound” in blood glucose ranges and weight acquire after stopping incretin mimetics. These results “are usually 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 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 likelihood of conserving the load off when the drugs are stopped,” Ali says.
As all the time, you will need to keep 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 Think about Taking Weight Loss Medicine?
Incretin mimetics could also be getting lots of hype, but it surely’s necessary to notice that they’re meant to be long-term remedies for persistent well being points — not only a fast option to lose a number 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 circumstances,” Ali says.
Even for individuals who meet the medical standards, a weight reduction drug isn’t 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 treatment can’t stand in for train in terms of enhancing energy, cardio capability, coronary heart well being, bone well being, and extra.
How Lengthy Do GLP-1 Medicine Keep in Your System?
Based on the Meals and Drug Administration, the half-life of tirzepatide is about 5 days. Which means while 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 while you cease taking these medication, it might keep in your system for roughly 5 weeks after the final dose.
Nevertheless, to take care of their effectiveness, semaglutides and tirzepatides are prescribed for weekly use, they usually’re meant for use indefinitely. “Weight problems is being considered a persistent illness, reminiscent of diabetes or hypertension, so sufferers could must be on these drugs long-term,” Ali says.
