Hormonal
GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., liraglutide, semaglutide) induce a weight loss plateau over time, suggesting that appetite suppression alone is insufficient for sustained weight management and highlighting the need for complementary thermogenic strategies.
If you are on a GLP-1 medication like semaglutide or liraglutide and your weight loss has stalled after the first year, this is a common physiological plateau, not a failure. The medication's appetite-suppressing effect has maxed out. To continue losing weight, you may need to add strategies that increase energy expenditure, such as exercise-induced thermogenesis or potentially future thermogenic medications, rather than just relying on the drug alone.
However, many patients reach a weight loss plateau over time, suggesting that appetite regulation alone may be insufficient for achieving and maintaining a desired weight loss... after the first year, weight loss tended to plateau despite continued therapy.
Why this rating
The paper cites specific clinical trials (e.g., 2-year liraglutide study, NEJM study) demonstrating the plateau effect.
Source
Thermogenic Targets for Obesity Management in the Era of Incretin-Based Therapies
Sahar Soliman et al. · Pharmaceuticals · 2025
DOI 10.3390/ph18101519
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →