For those who’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 drugs.
However what occurs whenever you cease taking incretin mimetics for weight reduction? Do you acquire weight again after quitting, or do you need to take them endlessly to take care of your outcomes?
Brief reply: While 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 a listing worth 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 you need to issue them into your month-to-month finances endlessly.
These drugs are additionally comparatively new to the scene, which implies their long-term results might 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, after all, it’s best to at all times speak to your physician earlier than beginning (or stopping!) any treatment.
For those who’re contemplating incretin mimetics or their kin for weight reduction, right here’s what it is advisable 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 capacity to take care of 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 comparable methods, there are a couple 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 include 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 (capsule type) are each FDA-approved as first-line therapies 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 chubby adults with at the 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 leads to extra weight reduction than semaglutide,” says Mir Ali, MD, bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Heart at Orange Coast Medical Heart 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 treatment, whereas Zepbound is accepted for weight administration in adults with weight problems, or chubby adults with at the 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 can assist with weight administration when you’re taking them. However whenever you cease taking these medication, your metabolic operate will revert again to its pre-medication state, and the quantity on the size will possible comply with swimsuit.
Listed here are a couple of frequent 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 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 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 must maintain a detailed eye in your calorie consumption. “If the affected person will not be 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 might rise
While 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 sort 2 diabetes drug dulaglutide.
One yr later, all three tirzepatide teams had better 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 “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 will not be suggested with out the steerage of a doctor. That stated, there is no such thing as a compelling proof that discontinuing their use will trigger severe 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 “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 doable 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, it is very important keep in mind it’s best to at all times seek the advice of a healthcare supplier earlier than stopping and restarting Mounjaro, Ozempic, or another such treatment.
Ought to You Contemplate Taking Weight Loss Medicine?
Incretin mimetics could also be getting numerous hype, nevertheless it’s vital to notice that they’re meant to be long-term therapies for persistent well being points — not only a fast technique to lose a couple of cussed kilos.
“These drugs are designed for sufferers categorised 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 best 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 bettering power, 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 whenever 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 whenever you cease taking these medication, it could keep in your system for roughly 5 weeks after the final dose.
Nonetheless, 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, akin to diabetes or hypertension, so sufferers might must be on these drugs long-term,” Ali says.
