As New Year’s resolutions kick into high gear, many are turning to drugs like Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications used for weight loss.
As New Year’s resolutions kick into high gear, many are looking to lose weight with drugs like Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications.
Bariatric surgeon Dr. Katelin Mirkin is among the medical doctors who warn that these medications are not without risk, and relying on them for a quick fix to weight loss could come with significant consequences.
“We’ve noticed a lot of really impressive rebound weight gain after these drugs are stopped, particularly when they’re stopped abruptly,” Mirkin said.
Medications like Wegovy and Ozempic were originally designed to treat diabetes, but they’ve become increasingly popular among people using them for weight loss. As more and more Americans turn to GLP-1s, doctors are learning more about what happens when patients discontinue use of the drugs, including weight regain.
Many people tolerate GLP-1 drugs well, but like any medication, they carry side effects. The most common include nausea, vomiting, constipation and slowed digestion. These effects occur because the drugs are working as intended by slowing gastrointestinal transit and suppressing appetite.
“There are also concerns for more serious problems like pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, sarcopenia, which is a fancy word for muscle loss … and some rare thyroid cancer risks,” Mirkin said.
For the most part, Mirkin said the medications are “pretty well tolerated” by most patients. But studies suggest that most people stop taking these drugs within a year and many quickly regain weight.
“That negative feedback of that nausea that you felt from the medication isn’t there, and so you just kind of go back into old habits,” Mirkin said. “The drugs themselves slow how your GI system processes food, and so once that’s gone, you’re not going to feel a lot of those side effects.”
Exactly why the weight returns after stopping GLP-1s is still being studied. Experts have said it’s likely a combination of factors.
“I see patients that describe voracious hunger and appetite after stopping these medications. Or they try them for a while, have some success, but then can’t afford the financial burden of them or can’t tolerate the side effects,” she said.
Doctors agree that for many patients, especially those who are obese or have diabetes, GLP-1 drugs may need to be taken indefinitely.
Mirkin said the medications shouldn’t be considered a jump-start to lose weight or a quick fix that can be applied in the short term.
While patients are advised to pair the drugs with lifestyle changes like increased protein intake, strength training and mindful eating, some rely solely on the medication.
“Some of these weight regains is even in people that have made these lifestyle changes,” Mirkin said. “But certainly your overall health is going to be better if you can kind of commit to healthier habits in general.”