For some GLP-1 users, the road from slim to grim is a quick turnaround.<\/p>\n
Surveys show<\/a> that nearly 12% of Americans have turned to Ozempic, Wegovy or similar drugs to lose weight, with prescriptions more than tripling since 2020.<\/p>\n But new research<\/a> suggests many users are unknowingly sabotaging their progress with one simple mistake.<\/p>\n Semaglutide is the active ingredient in GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. lavju83 \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n In the study, scientists in Denmark analyzed data from 77,310 first-time users of semaglutide-based GLP-1s who didn\u2019t have diabetes.<\/p>\n They found that more than half had stopped taking the drug<\/a> within a year of starting treatment. Nearly one in five quit by month three, and 42% had abandoned the regimen by month nine.<\/p>\n \u201cThis level of drop off is concerning because these medications aren\u2019t meant to be a temporary quick fix,\u201d said Dr. Reimar W. Thomsen<\/a>, a professor in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology at Aarhus University and lead author of the study. <\/p>\n The blockbuster drugs, originally developed for diabetes, work by suppressing appetite and boosting feelings of fullness. But to be effective, they must be taken long-term.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of the beneficial effects on appetite control are lost if the medication is stopped,\u201d Thomsen explained. <\/p>\n Past research shows that many patients who quit GLP-1s regain most \u2014 if not all \u2014 of the pounds they lost, with one study<\/a> finding that the majority return to their original weight within two years.<\/p>\n Weight often returns when GLP-1 users stop their medications. mojo_cp \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n And it\u2019s not just vanity on the line. Being overweight or obese<\/a> increases your risk for a laundry list of serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and even some cancers<\/a>. <\/p>\n Digging into the data, Thomsen and his team identified who\u2019s most likely to bail on GLP-1 treatments early.<\/p>\n Younger users lead the pack. People ages 18 to 29 were 48% more likely to quit within the first year than those between 45 and 59 years old.<\/p>\n Living in a low-income area also increased the odds, with those patients 14% more likely to drop off than people in wealthier neighborhoods.<\/p>\n The researchers said both point to one major hurdle for sticking with treatment: cost.<\/p>\n Just look at Ozempic<\/a>. Without insurance, the average retail price for the drug runs between $1,000 and $1,200 a month in the US, according to GoodRX<\/a>.<\/p>\n Medical history matters, too. People who\u2019d used gastrointestinal medications in the past were 9% more likely to stop semaglutide early compared to the general population. <\/p>\n Barriers to access may be keeping some GLP-1 users from sticking with treatment long-term. Creativa Images \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n