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 these kind of medicines.
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 keep up your outcomes?
Brief reply: If 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 price — each Mounjaro and Ozempic have a listing value of about $1,000 for a month’s provide. Out-of-pocket prices will differ based mostly 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 funds eternally.
These medicines are additionally comparatively new to the scene, which suggests their long-term results might not be 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 must at all times 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 referred to as incretins. Therefore, these medication 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 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 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 comprise the identical lively 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 (tablet type) are each FDA-approved as first-line therapies for kind 2 diabetes. Nonetheless, medical doctors will typically prescribe these medicines off-label — i.e., not as directed — for weight reduction.
Wegovy, then again, 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 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 through once-weekly injections, are manufactured by Eli Lilly. Mounjaro is FDA-approved as a diabetes treatment, whereas Zepbound is authorized 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 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 size will probably comply with go well with.
Listed below are a number 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 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 burden you misplaced
As soon as your urge for food is again in full swing, you’ll must maintain an in depth 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 12 months after stopping incretin mimetics, contributors 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 could rise
If 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 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 12 months later, all three tirzepatide teams had higher enhancements in blood glucose ranges than the dulaglutide group. Nonetheless, 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 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 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 “fast rebound” in blood glucose ranges and weight acquire after stopping incretin mimetics. These results “will not be 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 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 way of life methods:
“If a affected person is ready to make vital, long-term dietary and way of life modifications, then they’ve a greater likelihood of retaining the burden off when the medicines are stopped,” Ali says.
As at all times, it is very important bear in mind you must at all times seek the advice of a healthcare supplier earlier than stopping and restarting Mounjaro, Ozempic, or another such treatment.
Ought to You Think about Taking Weight Loss Medicine?
Incretin mimetics could also be getting plenty of hype, but it surely’s essential to notice that they’re meant to be long-term therapies for persistent well being points — not only a fast technique 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 many who meet the medical standards, a weight reduction drug isn’t any substitute for a balanced eating regimen 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 treatment can’t stand in for train relating to enhancing power, 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. Meaning 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.
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 persistent illness, equivalent to diabetes or hypertension, so sufferers could have to be on these medicines long-term,” Ali says.