When you’ve been looking for new methods to advance your weight reduction efforts, you’ve in all probability heard about incretin mimetic medicine like Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, and Zepbound. Many individuals have reported dramatic weight reduction by taking most of these medicines.

However what occurs once you cease taking incretin mimetics for weight reduction? Do you acquire weight again after quitting, or do it’s a must to take them perpetually to keep up your outcomes?

Brief reply: Whenever you cease taking incretin mimetics, you’ll doubtless 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 associated fee — each Mounjaro and Ozempic have a listing worth of about $1,000 for a month’s provide. Out-of-pocket prices will range primarily based in your insurance coverage plan, however they will add up shortly, particularly if it’s a must to issue them into your month-to-month price range perpetually.

These medicines are additionally comparatively new to the scene, which suggests their long-term results is probably not 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’s best to at all times speak to your physician earlier than beginning (or stopping!) any remedy.

When you’re contemplating incretin mimetics or their kin for weight reduction, right here’s what you should know.

How Do Mounjaro and Ozempic Work?

Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy work by mimicking metabolic hormones known as incretins. Therefore, these medicine are known as incretin mimetics.

This hormonal mimicry enhances the physique’s capability to keep up wholesome blood sugar ranges. It additionally helps cut back urge for food and meals consumption by making you are feeling full quicker and for longer after consuming. In consequence, many individuals expertise weight reduction as a secondary impact.

Whereas these medicine all work in comparatively related 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 include the identical lively ingredient, semaglutide. Semaglutide mimics the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone, which helps to advertise insulin manufacturing, gradual digestion, and suppress urge for food.

Ozempic (injectable) and Rybelsus (capsule type) are each FDA-approved as first-line therapies for kind 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, docs 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 obese 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 leads to 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 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 remedy, whereas Zepbound is authorized for weight administration in adults with weight problems, or obese 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 also help with weight administration whilst you’re taking them. However once you cease taking these medicine, your metabolic operate will revert again to its pre-medication state, and the quantity on the dimensions will doubtless comply with swimsuit.

Listed below are a number of frequent unwanted 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 gradual 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 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 hold an in depth eye in your calorie consumption. “If the affected person shouldn’t be cautious, they will begin regaining weight,” Ali says.

One scientific trial discovered that, a 12 months after stopping incretin mimetics, individuals had regained a mean of two-thirds of the load they’d 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 you might discover a rise in your blood glucose ranges. In a current peer-reviewed examine, researchers divided individuals 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 better 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 had been already experiencing rebound weight acquire.

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 medicine like semaglutide and tirzepatide have an effect on the physique, quitting chilly turkey shouldn’t be suggested with out the steerage 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, nevertheless, suggesting that many individuals expertise a “speedy rebound” in blood glucose ranges and weight acquire after stopping incretin mimetics. These results “usually are not thought-about 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 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 vital, long-term dietary and life-style modifications, then they’ve a greater probability of holding the load off when the medicines 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 remedy.

Ought to You Take into account Taking Weight Loss Medicine?

Incretin mimetics could also be getting a variety of hype, however it’s necessary to notice that they’re meant to be long-term therapies for persistent well being points — not only a fast strategy 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 individuals who meet the scientific standards, a weight reduction drug isn’t any substitute for a balanced eating regimen and common train. Consuming nutrient-dense meals remains to be the easiest way to get the nutritional vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants you want. And a weight reduction remedy 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 once you cease taking these medicine, 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 once you cease taking these medicine, it might keep in your system for roughly 5 weeks after the final dose.

Nevertheless, 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, resembling diabetes or hypertension, so sufferers might must be on these medicines long-term,” Ali says.