New research reveals that people who come off new weight-loss injections like semaglutide or tirzepatide tend to recover lost weight at a significantly accelerated pace than those who halt traditional lifestyle plans.
Published data in a prominent health publication demonstrates that while obese people often shed a large proportion of their total mass while undergoing treatment, the weight comes back at an estimated rate of 0.8 kg per month upon discontinuation.
"People using these drugs need to be aware of the risk of fast weight regain when the treatment ends," cautioned researcher Dr. Susan Jebb.
This pace of regain suggests a return to starting mass in about one and a half years.
Comparing Treatments
The research, which looked at dozens of trials involving over 9,000 of participants, compared the outcomes of the injectable medications with conventional dieting.
The team point out that individuals who shed pounds through dieting typically see a slower creep back—around 0.1 kg a month—once they finish.
Explaining the Quick Regain
Doctors believe the mode of action of the injections accounts for the heightened weight return.
The injections mimic a natural hormone called GLP-1, which helps regulate appetite.
"Sustained high doses of the hormone concentrations several times higher than normal may cause the body to produce less of its own natural hormone, and may also lessen responsiveness to its effects," noted Dr. Adam Collins, a dietetics researcher.
"Withdrawal of this GLP-1 'fix' leads to hunger is uncontrolled, making binge eating far more likely."
A Lifelong Issue?
Health authorities advise the jabs for individuals with weight-linked health risks, accompanied by prescribed lifestyle changes.
Many experts argue that, given the high risk of weight regain, the treatment is often life-long.
This opinion is supported by pharmaceutical companies, who say that the findings "emphasize the chronic character of excess weight," akin to managing diseases like diabetes.
User Accounts
People who have come off the medication describe a sudden resurgence of cravings.
"It felt as if a trigger flipping and you become starving," recalled an individual.
This challenge is compounded if users have not established lasting lifestyle or habit changes during therapy.
Widespread Adoption
Recent estimates suggest that millions of adults in the UK have tried weight-loss jabs in the past year, with interest continuing to grow.
- Use is more common among women than men.
- The 40s and 50s demographic shows the highest level of interest.
- A large proportion obtain the drugs through private healthcare rather than public health services.
Finally, researchers caution that while the jabs are effective tools for weight loss, they are not a standalone fix and maintained weight loss likely depends on ongoing lifestyle changes.
