Should you’ve been trying to find 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 these kind of drugs.

However what occurs once you cease taking incretin mimetics for weight reduction? Do you achieve weight again after quitting, or do you need to take them eternally to take care of your outcomes?

Brief reply: While 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 a listing value of about $1,000 for a month’s provide. Out-of-pocket prices will range based mostly in your insurance coverage plan, however they’ll add up rapidly, particularly if you need to issue them into your month-to-month finances eternally.

These drugs are additionally comparatively new to the scene, which implies their long-term results might not be absolutely understood. It’s essential 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 all the time speak to your physician earlier than beginning (or stopping!) any remedy.

Should you’re contemplating incretin mimetics or their kin for weight reduction, right here’s what that you must know.

How Do Mounjaro and Ozempic Work?

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

This hormonal mimicry enhances the physique’s potential to take care of wholesome blood sugar ranges. It additionally helps scale back urge for food and meals consumption by making you are feeling full sooner 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 just a few key variations on the subject of their mechanisms of motion and meant use.

Semaglutide mechanism of motion

These three drugs are manufactured by Novo Nordisk and include the identical energetic 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 kind) are each FDA-approved as first-line remedies for sort 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, medical doctors will typically prescribe these drugs 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 not less than 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 ends in 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 remedy, whereas Zepbound is accepted for weight administration in adults with weight problems, or obese adults with not 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 Medication for Weight Loss?

Incretin mimetics may also help with weight administration when 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 seemingly comply with go well with.

Listed here are just a few frequent negative 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 seemingly regain a lot of the burden you misplaced

As soon as your urge for food is again in full swing, you’ll must preserve an in depth eye in your calorie consumption. “If the affected person will not be cautious, they’ll begin regaining weight,” Ali says.

One medical trial discovered that, a yr after stopping incretin mimetics, contributors had regained a median of two-thirds of the burden that they had initially misplaced. Their cardiometabolic enhancements went again to baseline, too.

3. Your blood sugar could rise

While 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 current peer-reviewed research, 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 yr 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 achieve.

The research 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 will not be suggested with out the steerage of a doctor. That stated, there isn’t a compelling proof that discontinuing their use will trigger critical 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 “aren’t 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 targets, 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 vital, long-term dietary and way of life adjustments, then they’ve a greater likelihood of holding the burden off when the drugs are stopped,” Ali says.

As all the time, it is very important keep in mind it’s best to all the time seek the advice of a healthcare supplier earlier than stopping and restarting Mounjaro, Ozempic, or another such remedy.

Ought to You Think about Taking Weight Loss Medication?

Incretin mimetics could also be getting quite a lot of hype, nevertheless it’s essential to notice that they’re meant to be long-term remedies for continual well being points — not only a fast strategy to lose just a few cussed kilos.

“These drugs are designed for sufferers labeled as overweight with a physique mass index over 30, or over 27 with different co-morbid circumstances,” Ali says.

Even for individuals who meet the medical standards, a weight reduction drug isn’t any substitute for a balanced weight loss program and common train. Consuming nutrient-dense meals continues 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 on the subject of bettering power, cardio capability, coronary heart well being, bone well being, and extra.

How Lengthy Do GLP-1 Medication Keep in Your System?

Based on 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 fully 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 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 regarded as a continual illness, resembling diabetes or hypertension, so sufferers could must be on these drugs long-term,” Ali says.