Health updates: A new study carried out by the researchers at the University of Oxford has revealed that many individuals regain weight swiftly, once their treatment with GLP-1 based medications is halted. The findings of the study have been published in The BMJ, and have raised concerns about what happens after people discontinue administering popular weight-loss injections to themselves.

Notably, injectable drugs such as semaglutide (sold under brand names including Ozempic) and tirzepatide (marketed as Mounjaro) have contributed significantly to obesity treatment over the past few years. The medications suppress the appetite, and slow the gastric emptying, thereby improving metabolic control. The aforementioned medicines have enabled millions of obesity-stricken patients to cut down their weight. 

Fat rebounds rapidly after discontinuation

The researchers analysed 37 clinical trials, which involved more than 9,000 adults. The researchers ascertained that once the medication was stopped, the participants regained weight at an average rate of 0.4 kilograms per month. Moreover, for newer GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, the rebound was even faster, standing at approximately 0.8 kg per month. The study found that the participating individuals returned to their original weight within 1.7 years since their medication stopped.

The evidence from the STEP-1 extension trial further added credibility to the trend. Those participants who had lost 17.3% of their body weight during 68 weeks of semaglutide treatment regained roughly two-thirds of that loss within a year of stopping the drug. Worryingly, the improvements in their blood pressure levels, cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels also began to fade. 

Experts term obesity as a chronic condition

Experts are of the view that obesity behaves like a chronic disease, and requires long-term management, instead of short-term intervention. They added that when GLP-1 medications are halted, the body’s natural hunger signals and metabolic processes revert in a majority of the cases, leading to high calorie intake due to increased appetite. 

While the drugs have proven to be highly effective in slashing the extra pounds, researchers maintain that sustainable outcomes depend on continued medical supervision and robust lifestyle changes, including healthy diet, physical activity and behavioural support.