We are in the midst of a weight-loss revolution. Drugs with the active ingredients semaglutide or tirzepatide have allowed millions of people to lose significant amounts of weight. These drugs work by mimicking a gut hormone that curbs appetite and slows digestion.
It’s a boon to good health.
Unfortunately, these drugs are expensive, with insurance often refusing to cover the costs. Some people invariably stop taking them.
A large new study, however, shows that people who stopped taking weight-loss drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy don’t give up the fight. Many avoid regaining the pounds they had recently shed by switching tactics.
The Cleveland Clinic study analyzed the medical records of nearly 8,000 people who took injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide and then quit three to 12 months later.
The study found that a significant number of patients did not regain meaningful weight after dumping the drugs. Those who took the medications for obesity and lost an average of 8.4% of their body weight only regained about 0.5% a year later.
Those taking the drug for diabetes actually continued to lose a small amount of weight.
A key to keeping slim appeared to be moving to another weight-loss regimen. Some met with dietitians or exercise specialists. Some also switched to older-generation weight-loss meds. And others restarted their semaglutide or tirzepatide medications, or switched one for the other.
Researchers warned that individual results varied, and not everybody avoided a big weight regain.
The research shows that many people do not give up on a slimmer body, even when insurance or adverse side effects force them to quit.
That persistence is a recipe for weight-loss success.