With regular exercise, medical weight loss treatment does not have to be permanent

For almost a 12 months, we now have been debating weight reduction medication like Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda and related merchandise and what occurs when individuals cease taking them. Are they capable of preserve weight reduction? A brand new Danish examine sheds gentle on the matter.

You have got most likely seen that weight reduction medication like Wegovy have been the topic of debate for a while now. And for good cause. As a result of in a world the place increasingly more individuals stay with weight problems, they assist individuals lose extra fats.

Sadly, there’s a draw back. The overall notion is that those that cease taking the medicine could have difficulties sustaining weight reduction. However that isn’t essentially the case. So says Professor Signe Sørensen Torekov from the Division of Biomedical Sciences, who’s main a brand new examine carried out on the College of Copenhagen and Hvidovre Hospital.

“It’s truly potential to cease taking the medicine with out massive weight regain, when you comply with a structured train regime. Our examine provides new hope, as we now have proven that almost all of those that take weight reduction medicine and train commonly are capable of preserve the useful results a 12 months after remedy termination,” she says.

The workforce of researchers has studied the results following remedy for weight problems, and so they have been capable of reply among the key questions on these comparatively new kinds of medication. The examine, “Wholesome weight reduction upkeep with train, GLP-1 receptor agonist, or each mixed adopted by one 12 months with out remedy: a post-treatment evaluation of a randomized placebo-controlled trial,” was simply published in eClinicalMedicine.

And the outcomes converse for themselves. So says Postdoc Simon Birk Kjær Jensen, who’s first writer of the examine, which shaped a part of his Ph.D. thesis.

“Despite the fact that medical remedy for weight problems is efficient, individuals who cease taking the medication have difficulties sustaining the useful results. Inside a 12 months, they are going to sometimes have gained greater than two thirds of the misplaced weight. Nevertheless, our examine reveals that individuals who train throughout remedy shouldn’t have the identical propensity to placed on weight put up remedy,” he says.

Two hours of train per week is sufficient

The examine included 4 teams of check individuals. One group was given a placebo, one other group was given a weight reduction drug, Saxenda, liraglutide 3 mg to be precise, a 3rd group was requested to train, whereas a fourth group was given the burden loss drug and exercised commonly. Earlier than being divided randomly into teams, all of the individuals had eaten a weight-reduction plan low on energy.

The outcomes of the examine present that those that exercised throughout remedy didn’t must spend greater than a few hours per week in coaching footwear to keep up the useful results of the remedy.

“All it takes is 2 hours of train per week that will get the center fee up and makes you pant. And it might differ from one particular person to the subsequent. For individuals with extreme weight problems and low preliminary health stage, a brisk stroll could also be ample, whereas individuals with larger health stage could must apply working or biking, e.g., interval spinning,” Simon Birk Kjær Jensen explains.

In truth, the examine reveals that the train teams skilled higher high quality of life.

“From our knowledge, it’s clear that those that adopted an train regime with or with out remedy with weight problems medication felt much less drained and extra energetic. In addition they skilled higher psychological well being. It merely led to improved high quality of life,” Signe Sørensen Torekov says. “The identical didn’t apply to those that solely acquired medical remedy. In truth, they felt extra drained and fewer energetic.”

Prescription train

In response to the researchers liable for the brand new examine, there may be subsequently cause to think about including train suggestions to prescriptions for weight reduction medication to extend individuals’s possibilities of sustaining weight reduction and the useful results put up remedy.

“We now have an efficient drug for weight problems, and we want it, as a result of lots of people are affected by weight problems. However in accordance with our knowledge, it’s tremendous necessary to mix medical remedy with common bodily train, due to the useful results hereof, e.g., higher high quality of life and muscle mass upkeep,” Simon Birk Kjær Jensen says.

“The examine nearly makes me wish to advise towards medical remedy with out elevated bodily train, particularly if you do not need to be taking the medication for the remainder of your life. We have to cease pondering that individuals who weigh much less additionally train extra, as a result of that’s merely not the case. It requires construction, assist and behavior constructing. The excellent news is that post-treatment weight reduction upkeep is feasible, however solely when mixed with train,” says Signe Sørensen Torekov.