Stopping weight loss jabs can lead to rapid weight regain in one year, study suggests
Stopping Weight Loss Jabs May Lead to Rapid Weight Regain Within a Year, Study Indicates
Cambridge Researchers Highlight Concerns Over Long-Term Weight Maintenance
A new study suggests that individuals who discontinue weight loss injections may experience significant weight recovery within a year. Researchers from the University of Cambridge observed that, on average, participants regained 60% of the weight they had lost after ceasing the treatment for 52 weeks.
The study emphasizes that if the majority of the regained mass is fat, patients could end up in a less favorable condition than before starting the therapy. Weight loss jabs, classified as GLP-1 receptor agonists, function by emulating the hormone GLP-1 to control blood sugar and insulin. Initially developed for type 2 diabetes, drugs like semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) are now used on the NHS to address obesity.
“Our projections show that even though people regain most of the weight they have lost, they still maintain some of the weight loss. However, what we currently don’t know is if the same proportion of lean mass is recovered,” remarked Brajan Budini, a medical student at the School of Clinical Medicine and Trinity College, University of Cambridge.
The research, which combined six trials involving over 3,200 individuals, was published in eClinicalMedicine. It concludes that “significant weight regain occurs following cessation” of the drugs. Notably, weight regain appears to stabilize, with 75% of the original loss recovered by 60 weeks, leaving 25% potentially sustainable over time.
US Study Demonstrates Jabs’ Potential in Combating Substance Use Disorders
A separate analysis of over 600,000 U.S. veterans with type 2 diabetes indicates that weight loss injections could also help prevent addiction to substances like alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs including cannabis, cocaine, nicotine, and opioids. The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), found that those without prior substance abuse had a 14% lower risk of developing disorders after beginning treatment.
For veterans already struggling with addiction, the jabs were associated with a 31% reduction in emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and mortality linked to substance misuse. Additionally, they showed decreased risks of alcohol-related issues (18%), cannabis use (14%), cocaine dependence (20%), nicotine addiction (20%), and opioid overdoses (25%) compared to patients on alternative diabetes medications.
Although the US study primarily focused on older men, comparable outcomes were noted in women. Experts propose that the drugs’ impact on the brain’s reward system may suppress cravings, offering broader applications beyond weight management.
Researchers are urging additional trials to investigate how the injections influence weight composition during and after treatment. Such insights could clarify whether the benefits of weight loss are long-lasting or temporary, depending on the balance between fat and lean mass recovery.