New study highlights risks of stopping anti-obesity meds
Patients who stop taking weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy may begin to regain weight within just two months, according to a new study published in BMC Medicine.
The study, which reviewed 11 clinical trials involving nearly 2,500 participants, found that significant weight regain often began as early as eight weeks after discontinuing anti-obesity medications (AOMs). The trend continued through 20 weeks before stabilising, researchers said.
Among the drugs analysed were six FDA-approved medications for obesity treatment in adults: orlistat, naltrexone-bupropion, semaglutide, liraglutide, tirzepatide, and phentermine-topiramate. Semaglutide — the active ingredient in Wegovy and the diabetes drug Ozempic — was the focus of more than half of the reviewed trials.
While prior studies have shown that prolonged use of AOMs leads to substantial weight loss, researchers from Peking University People’s Hospital in China noted that long-term effects following drug discontinuation have been less well understood.
“Significant weight regain occurred eight weeks after discontinuation of AOMs and was sustained through 20 weeks,” the review stated. Participants’ weight was tracked using both body mass and BMI, with researchers controlling for variables such as the presence of diabetes, medication type, and lifestyle habits.
One cited example involved tirzepatide, another GLP-1 receptor agonist, where patients who stopped treatment after 36 weeks regained nearly half of their lost weight once switched to a placebo.
The authors emphasised that the degree of weight regain depended on factors including the type of medication used and adherence to lifestyle changes. They called for further research with extended follow-up periods to better understand the drivers behind post-treatment weight changes.
The findings come amid soaring demand for GLP-1 medications and renewed questions about their long-term role in obesity management.
