Stopping Weight Loss Jabs Linked to Significant Weight Regain, Study Finds
A recent study indicates that individuals who discontinue weight loss injections may experience substantial weight recovery within a year, according to new findings. Researchers from the University of Cambridge reported that, after 52 weeks without the medication, participants had regained 60% of the weight they initially lost.
The research highlights a concern: if the majority of regained mass is fat, patients might end up in a less favorable condition than before starting treatment. Weight loss injections, classified as GLP-1 receptor agonists, function by mimicking the hormone GLP-1 to manage blood sugar and insulin levels. Initially developed for type 2 diabetes, certain variants like semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) are now approved for obesity management on the NHS.
Broader Applications for Obesity Drugs
Another study, analyzing over 600,000 US veterans with type 2 diabetes, suggests these injections could also address substance addiction. It found that individuals without prior addiction issues saw a 14% lower risk of developing disorders related to alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, nicotine, and opioids after using the drugs.
Experts suggest that the mechanism behind GLP-1s’ effectiveness involves their impact on the brain’s reward pathways, which reduces cravings. This effect was observed in both preventing substance misuse and mitigating related emergencies in those already addicted.
Weight Regain Patterns and Long-Term Impacts
The Cambridge study, which encompassed six trials involving more than 3,200 people, was published in eClinicalMedicine. It underscores that “significant weight regain follows cessation” of the medication. However, the research noted that weight regain tends to stabilize, with 75% of the original loss recovered by 60 weeks, implying 25% could be maintained long-term.
“Our projections show that even though people regain most of the weight they have lost, they still maintain some of the weight loss, but what we currently don’t know is if the same proportion of lean mass is recovered,” said Brajan Budini, a medical student at the School of Clinical Medicine and Trinity College, University of Cambridge.
The team emphasized the need for additional studies to explore how these injections influence weight composition during and after treatment. Meanwhile, a separate US analysis, spanning three years, found that veterans on GLP-1s had reduced risks of substance-related issues, with notable decreases in opioid and nicotine dependencies.
Although the US research primarily involved older men, similar results were observed in women, reinforcing the potential of these drugs across demographics. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), also revealed lower rates of hospitalizations, emergency visits, and mortality linked to substance use disorders among those receiving the treatment.
