WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Scientists at Oxford University have found that the weight-loss effects of drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro don't last if people don't follow a healthy lifestyle after stopping them.
The researchers looked at 11 different studies involving 6,370 adults. Among these, 1,465 people were using newer, high-dose weight-loss drugs such as semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro). These patients lost more weight, approximately 16 kg on average, compared to those using older drugs.
'These drugs are very effective at helping you lose weight, but when you stop them, weight regain is much faster than [after stopping] diets,' said co-author Professor Susan Jebb.
However, the researchers noted that after stopping the treatment, the patients gained back about 9.6kg within a year, suggesting that they could regain the previously lost weight in just over 20 months.
Overall, the study showed that people who lost weight using these jabs usually returned to their original weight within 10 months of stopping.
The study didn't pinpoint the exact reason for the quick weight gain, but Professor Jebb suggested it might be because people rely on the drug and don't build healthy habits or self-control. This could be a challenge for the government, which plans to offer these drugs through the NHS.
'Is it going to be worth the NHS investing in these drugs if they only have them for a short time and then they pile all the weight back on, or does the NHS have to accept that these are going to be long term therapies?', Jebb commented.
'Either people really have to accept this as a treatment for life, you're going to have to keep going forever, or we in science need to think really, really hard, how to support people when they stop the drug.'
Notably, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence or NICE's current guidelines recommend people to not use the injections for more than two years.
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