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 some of these drugs.
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 endlessly to take care of your outcomes?
Brief reply: Whenever 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 an inventory 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 will add up rapidly, particularly if it’s a must to issue them into your month-to-month price range endlessly.
These drugs are additionally comparatively new to the scene, which implies their long-term results is probably not totally 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, you need to all the time discuss to your physician earlier than beginning (or stopping!) any remedy.
For those who’re contemplating incretin mimetics or their kin for weight reduction, right here’s what you want 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 capability 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. In consequence, many individuals expertise weight reduction as a secondary impact.
Whereas these medication all work in comparatively comparable methods, there are just a few key variations in the case 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 type) are each FDA-approved as first-line remedies for kind 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, medical doctors will typically prescribe these drugs off-label — i.e., not as directed — for weight reduction.
Wegovy, alternatively, is an FDA-approved, injectable model of semaglutide formulated specifically for weight management. It’s meant for adults with weight problems or obese adults with at the 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 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 moderately 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 medication, whereas Zepbound is approved for weight management in adults with weight problems, or obese 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 may help with weight administration when you’re taking them. However whenever you cease taking these medication, your metabolic operate will revert back to its pre-medication state, and the quantity on the size will seemingly comply with go well with.
Listed here are just a few 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 remedy is stopped, the urge for food returns to its earlier state and the abdomen resumes emptying on the regular price. 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 hold 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 weight that they had initially misplaced. Their cardiometabolic enhancements went again to baseline, too.
3. Your blood sugar might 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 recent peer-reviewed study, 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. 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 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 steering of a doctor. That stated, there isn’t any 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 “rapid 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 attainable to cease taking semaglutide and tirzepatide with out regaining a lot weight. However you’ll should 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 probability of conserving the load off when the drugs are stopped,” Ali says.
As all the time, it is very important bear in mind you need to all the time seek the advice of a healthcare supplier earlier than stopping and restarting Mounjaro, Ozempic, or some other such remedy.
Ought to You Think about Taking Weight Loss Medicine?
Incretin mimetics could also be getting quite a lot of hype, nevertheless it’s vital to notice that they’re meant to be long-term remedies for power well being points — not only a fast strategy to lose just a few 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 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 remains to be one of the simplest ways to get the nutritional vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants you want. And a weight reduction remedy can’t stand in for train in the case of enhancing power, cardio capability, coronary heart well being, bone well being, and extra.
How Lengthy Do GLP-1 Medicine Keep in Your System?
In accordance 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 fully 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 about 5 weeks after the final dose.
Nevertheless, to take care of their effectiveness, semaglutides and tirzepatides are prescribed for weekly use, and so they’re meant for use indefinitely. “Weight problems is being considered a chronic disease, comparable to diabetes or hypertension, so sufferers might should be on these drugs long-term,” Ali says.
