4 Key Takeaways from Recent Research on Weight Loss Medications and Long-Term Results

Weight loss medications, including semaglutide (aka Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (aka Mounjaro and Zepbound), have become increasingly popular since the FDA approved them a few years ago. These injections have aided millions of Americans in enhancing their weight loss results through improved diets and increased exercise by suppressing hunger.

Unfortunately, new weight loss research shows that many patients are gaining weight back after stopping these injections. Dr. Alexander Shapsis and his team encourage patients to consider the information provided below when starting a new weight loss regimen.

1. Study Findings on Weight Loss Medications

The study, presented by the European Congress on Obesity, followed patients who started and stopped weight loss medications. It found that patients often put back the weight they lost once they stopped treatment. Even though they lost double the amount of weight than others when utilizing the medications alongside improved diet and exercise, they often regained it back within a year of stopping medications, most within ten months.

2. Implications for Sustainable Weight Loss

This means that patients who are currently starting or considering weight loss medications need to make sustainable, long-lasting changes to their lifestyle to maintain their weight loss after stopping injections. The benefits of these medications stop immediately after they are discontinued, which means that support should be in place to both achieve weight loss goals and keep them after they make the change to a drug-free lifestyle.

Medications like this can help boost weight loss in patients with certain medical conditions aggravated by excessive weight and obesity, allowing them to lose weight in a shorter period. However, all the weight can return if patients do not pay close attention to their habits after they stop.

3. Reasons to Consider Weight Loss Drugs

Dr. Shapsis of the EndoSlim Clinic at Atlantic Gastroenterology encourages patients to be aware of both the benefits and pitfalls of these weight loss drugs. He finds that patients who are overweight or obese can benefit from their assistance during their weight loss journey, but that the lifestyle changes they make during this time should be sustainable.

Dr. Shapsis helps patients make positive changes to what they eat and how much they move, alongside their injections, and he hopes that patients heed this warning and continue to improve their lifestyle habits for the best possible long-term results.

4. Resources for Learning About Weight Loss Injections

Dr. Alexander Shapsis is a board-certified professional who monitors new weight loss research to stay abreast of conditions and concerns that his patients might face. If you are unsure about starting or stopping Wegovy or other weight loss medications, we invite you to connect with our team at the EndoSlim Clinic of Atlantic Gastroenterology in Brooklyn, New York. Call our front office at 718 521-2840 to request a consultation appointment today!

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