Hormonal
Discontinuation of GLP-1 RA or GIP/GLP-1 RA therapy (liraglutide, semaglutide, tirzepatide) leads to rapid and substantial weight regain, effectively reversing the majority of metabolic benefits achieved during treatment.
If you stop taking GLP-1 or GIP/GLP-1 medications (like semaglutide or tirzepatide), you will likely regain most of the weight you lost. The drugs work by altering hormonal signals that regulate hunger and metabolism; when you stop, those signals revert. To maintain weight loss, you likely need to continue the medication long-term or adopt a rigorous, sustainable lifestyle intervention that mimics the drug's effects, though current evidence suggests pharmacological support is often necessary to prevent rebound.
The analysis showed a rapid regain of weight after cessation of therapy, regardless of the duration of the treatment with GLP-1 RA or GIP/GLP-1 RA. This rebound is likely to substantially mitigate the metabolic benefits attained through weight loss.
Why this rating
Based on a narrative review of 13 randomized controlled trials, though the review itself is narrative rather than a meta-analysis.
Source
Weight Regain After Liraglutide, Semaglutide or Tirzepatide Interruption: A Narrative Review of Randomized Studies
Massimo Quarenghi et al. · Journal of Clinical Medicine · 2025
DOI 10.3390/jcm14113791
Related findings · Hormonal
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