Should you’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 most of these medicines.
However what occurs whenever you cease taking incretin mimetics for weight reduction? Do you achieve weight again after quitting, or do you need to take them perpetually to take care of your outcomes?
Quick reply: If you cease taking incretin mimetics, you’ll doubtless 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 fee — each Mounjaro and Ozempic have a listing worth of about $1,000 for a month’s provide. Out-of-pocket prices will fluctuate based mostly in your insurance coverage plan, however they will add up rapidly, particularly if you need to issue them into your month-to-month finances perpetually.
These medicines 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, in fact, it is best to at all times speak to your physician earlier than beginning (or stopping!) any medicine.
Should you’re contemplating incretin mimetics or their kin for weight reduction, right here’s what it is advisable 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 the case of 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 kind) are each FDA-approved as first-line remedies for sort 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, medical doctors 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 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 reasonably 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 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 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 perform will revert again to its pre-medication state, and the quantity on the size will doubtless comply with swimsuit.
Listed here are a number of widespread unintended 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 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 doubtless regain a lot of the load you misplaced
As soon as your urge for food is again in full swing, you’ll have to maintain an in depth eye in your calorie consumption. “If the affected person will not be cautious, they will 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
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 current peer-reviewed examine, researchers divided contributors into 4 teams. Three teams took tirzepatide in various doses, whereas the fourth group was given the sort 2 diabetes drug dulaglutide.
One 12 months later, all three tirzepatide teams had higher enhancements in blood glucose ranges than the dulaglutide group. Nevertheless, two months after stopping remedy, 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 will not be suggested with out the steering 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, 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 might be potential to cease taking semaglutide and tirzepatide with out regaining a lot weight. However you’ll must be ready to make use of the next way of life methods:
“If a affected person is ready to make important, long-term dietary and way of life adjustments, then they’ve a greater likelihood of preserving the load off when the medicines are stopped,” Ali says.
As at all times, it is very important bear in mind it is best to at all times seek the advice of a healthcare supplier earlier than stopping and restarting Mounjaro, Ozempic, or another such medicine.
Ought to You Take into account 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 technique to lose a number of cussed kilos.
“These medicines are designed for sufferers labeled 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 is not any substitute for a balanced weight loss program 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 in the case of bettering energy, 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. Meaning whenever you cease taking these medication, it might 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 might keep in your system for about 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, akin to diabetes or hypertension, so sufferers might must be on these medicines long-term,” Ali says.