What happens to people who have experienced effective weight loss after stop taking semaglutide?
Research shows weight will be significantly affected when stop taking semaglutide. Many people have successfully lost a large amount of weight with the help of medication, but their bodies instinctively strive to maintain their weight stability. Obesity expert Arya Sharma compares this phenomenon to a tight rubber band: “If you take a medication to change the biological mechanism, the tension of the rubber band will be much reduced, but when I stop taking this medication, this tension will reappear”.
In an experiment on changes after discontinuing weight loss medication, approximately 800 participants received weekly injections of semaglutide, combined with dietary adjustments, exercise, and counseling, resulting in an average weight loss of 10.6% over approximately four months.
Subsequently, one-third of the participants switched to receiving placebo injections for nearly a year. After switching to placebo for eleven months, the weight of these participants recovered by nearly 7%, while those who continued to receive injection of semaglutide continued to lose weight.
Similarly, in another extended trial of semaglutide, participants lost an average of 17.3% in weight after receiving medication and changing their lifestyle for over a year, but without any clinical trial intervention, their weight recovered by about 2/3 after one year.
Weight rebound is not the only health hazard.
Those who continued to take semaglutide for more than four months continued to experience a decrease in waist circumference, while those who switched to placebo began to recover fat in the waist and abdomen, which is th e key organ area that triggers problems such as fatty liver. This also includes other metabolic issues such as heart disease and insulin resistance, which are closely related to the accumulation of abdominal fat. These health risks are likely to return to their previous levels if discontinued the medication.
In clinical trials, individuals who discontinued semaglutide often observed rebounds in blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, although these indicators improved during medication. It is worth noting that some of these indicators are still better than those who have never received treatment with semaglutide.
Researchers believe that some people who have successfully lost weight through medication may rely solely on diet and exercise to maintain their new weight, but these individuals may experience a significant increase in the risk of weight rebound when they regain old habits or face immense pressure.
Not everyone responds to GLP-1 agonists.
A clinical trial showed that nearly 14% of participants did not achieve a clinically significant threshold of weight loss (at least 5% reduction) after more than a year of taking sorglutide. Therefore, some health guidelines suggest that if this standard is not met after several months of medication, treatment should be considered discontinuation.
What is the best way to stop taking semaglutide?
The semaglutide dosage should start from the minimum dose and gradually increase over several months. This progressive treatment regimen helps to minimize side effects to the greatest extent possible. Although doctors believe that these drugs are long-term treatment options, sudden cessation of use does not bring any biological harm.
Stanford University experts point out that “there is no withdrawal problem or similar situation, just like other drugs that require dose titration.” She suggests that if treatment is decided to stop, healthcare providers should be informed so that medical records can be updated in a timely manner.
However, actual cases show that the situation may not be so simple. Some people report hunger even higher than before treatment after discontinuing GLP-1 agonists. He suggests gradually reducing the dosage of medication instead of suddenly stopping it, which may help alleviate this rebound of hunger.
Monitoring the appetite and weight changes of those who intend to stop taking the medication.
Do not wait until the weight rebounds by 30 pounds before taking action. If the weight rebounds by 5 pounds after stopping the medication, it may be the time to take the medication again.” He also pointed out that when resuming medication after stopping for a period of time, it is still necessary to start from the minimum dose.
A common reason why people stop taking medication is that their weight stagnates, leading to the belief that the medication is ineffective. But everyone’s response to the dose varies, and it may be necessary to increase the dose to achieve further weight loss effects.
Obesity is a chronic disease that requires lifelong management
Another researcher pointed out that many people want to stop taking medication once they reach their target weight. Crossing weight loss milestones can indeed bring a sense of achievement, but obesity is a chronic disease that requires lifelong management, just like hypertension or heart disease, and medication treatment is also a part of it. Weight loss pills only alter their physiological functions and do not cure this disease.
