The GLP-1 drugs are used by millions for weight loss.
Steffan Rhys Deputy Content Hub Director
04:01, 02 May 2026
People coming off drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, used by many people to manage weight, should know this information(Image: Getty)
People who come off GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and similar drugs for weight management are expected to regain the shed pounds within approximately 18 months, according to research findings. One paper, which analysed existing studies, also revealed that previous users put weight back on four times faster than those who had achieved weight loss through behavioural methods such as dietary changes and physical activity.
Millions of individuals utilise GLP-1 medications for shedding excess weight. These drugs function by reducing appetite, decelerating the digestive process and prolonging feelings of satiety. However, a paper published in the British Medical Journal in January, which examined 37 previous studies encompassing 9,000 participants, determined that “cessation of weight management medications (WMMs) is followed by rapid weight regain and reversal of beneficial effects on cardiometabolic markers”.
It continued: “Regain after [weight management medication] was faster than after [behavioural weight management programmes]. These findings suggest caution in short-term use of these drugs without a more comprehensive approach to weight management.”
GLP-1 medications utilise active compounds such as semaglutide, a drug employed in managing Type 2 diabetes that has since been adopted for weight management purposes. Obesity represents a chronic and recurring condition affecting nearly two billion adults globally, elevating the risk of illness and early death. The BMJ researchers noted that weight reduction “improves cardiovascular risk factors” and referenced a recent trial demonstrating that “continuous use of semaglutide over four years reduced major cardiovascular disease events in individuals with existing cardiovascular disease”.
Nevertheless, researchers indicated that the advantages of weight loss in terms of managing diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk indicators were diminished by weight regain following treatment cessation. They stated: “We have shown that weight regain is faster (0.8 kg/month) and a return to baseline weight projected at 1.5 years after cessation of treatment, implying that the benefits on cardiovascular health will probably also attenuate more rapidly.”
The report noted that because “obesity is a chronic and relapsing condition, prolonged treatment with WMM may be required to sustain the health benefits” and determined: “WMMs are associated with a reduction in weight and improvements in cardiometabolic health that are attenuated soon after treatment ends, with no evidence of benefit 1.7 years after the cessation of treatment. This evidence cautions against short-term use of WMMs, emphasises the need for further research into cost-effective strategies for long-term weight control, and reinforces the importance of primary prevention.”
The investigation encompassed studies examining “any drug intervention that is currently or has previously been licensed for weight loss, or where there is reason to believe that the drug studied shares a class effect with a currently or previously licensed drug”. The various medications analysed included semaglutide (found in Ozempic, Wegovy and similar products), tirzepatide (present in Mounjaro and comparable treatments), liraglutide (contained in Saxenda) amongst numerous others, reports the Mirror.
A separate study, released last month by academics at the University of Cambridge, similarly discovered that “when individuals stopped taking the medication, they underwent rapid initial weight regain” and noted: “By 52 weeks, individuals had regained 60% of their original weight loss.”
Brajan Budini, a medical student at the School of Clinical Medicine and Trinity College, University of Cambridge, said: “Drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy act like brakes on our appetite, making us feel full sooner, which means we eat less and therefore lose weight. When people stop taking them, they are essentially taking their foot off the brake, and this can lead to rapid weight regain.”
Researchers involved in the second study highlighted that some users avoid returning to their original weight even a year after discontinuing the medication. They attributed this to the drugs’ appetite-suppressing properties, which “may help individuals develop healthier eating habits, such as reduced portion sizes or more nutritionally-balanced meals, and these habits may persist even after treatment is discontinued”.
Fellow medical student at the School of Clinical Medicine and Trinity College, Steven Luo, added: “When stopping weight loss drugs, doctors and patients should be aware of the potential for weight regain and consider ways to mitigate this risk. It’s important that people are given advice on improving their diet and exercise, rather than relying solely on the drugs, as this may help them maintain good habits when they stop taking them.”
Following the publication of the BMJ report in January, pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy and Ozempic, informed the BBC: “These findings highlight the chronic nature of obesity and suggest that ongoing treatment is necessary to maintain improvements in weight and overall health for patients, similar to the management of other chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypertension.”