Research
Hormonal
Discontinuation of semaglutide leads to significant weight regain (rebound effect) and psychological distress due to the dissipation of hormonal effects.
If you stop semaglutide, expect significant weight regain and increased hunger. Plan for a gradual taper and lifestyle changes to maintain weight. Psychological support may be needed to manage the rebound effect.
ModerateSupportsHIGH confidence
A study by Rubino et al. (2022) found that most participants lost 2/3 of their body weight within 1 year of discontinuing Ozempic. This is because the hormonal effects of Ozempic will dissipate, and users will return to feeling faster hunger with more frequency [39].
Why this rating
Based on cited studies and adverse event reports.
Source
A Shift from Diabetic Clinical Therapy to Aesthetic Use: The Ozempic Phenomenon
Nadya Theresia Sibarani et al. · Journal of Biosciences and Medicines · 2026
DOI 10.4236/jbm.2026.142019
narrative_review
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Off-label use of semaglutide (Ozempic) for aesthetic weight loss in non-diabetic individuals causes therapeutic exclusion for Type 2 Diabetes patients due to supply shortages.Moderate
- Rapid weight loss induced by semaglutide causes 'Ozempic Face' and 'Ozempic Butt' due to the skin's inability to shrink at the same rate as fat loss.Moderate
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
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