Health2 min
Stop Taking GLP-1 Jabs and the Weight Can Creep Back, Warns ZOE's Federica Amati
Experts say the pounds and metabolic gains from semaglutide and tirzepatide can fade once treatment ends, so aftercare needs to start on day one.
Dr Federica Amati, head nutritionist at ZOE in the UK, has a blunt message for the booming weight-loss drug market: losing the weight is only half the job. Speaking at The Economist's Future of Health Europe event on November 3, 2026, she argued that health systems pour their energy into getting patients to lose weight, then leave them on their own to keep it off.
GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide and tirzepatide work by dialling down appetite and making people feel full sooner. That makes eating less easier while the drug is running. Stop the injections, though, and that appetite support disappears. The body also tends to push back after significant weight loss, which makes the reduced weight harder to hold.
A systematic review and meta-analysis in The BMJ pooled 37 studies covering 9,341 participants across 63 treatment groups. Its authors warned that stopping medication without a broader weight-management plan could bring rapid regain and erode metabolic gains. The review also found that how much weight someone lost at the start did not fully explain how fast it came back.
A follow-up analysis in Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism zoomed in on timing. Researchers re-analysed data from six studies involving 1,776 participants, including three on semaglutide and three on tirzepatide. They estimated monthly regain of 0.89 kg for semaglutide and 1.10 kg for tirzepatide, but after statistical adjustment they found no clear independent gap between the two drugs. Lifestyle and behavioural support after stopping showed a possible link to slower regain, though the researchers flagged wide uncertainty.
The stakes go beyond the scale. Blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol can slip back as well. An eClinicalMedicine review pointed to a stubborn problem: real-world studies found that up to 65% of patients stopped GLP-1 receptor agonists within a year of starting, and clinical trial findings suggest roughly two-thirds of lost weight may return within that same window.
So what should patients take from this? Ask about the maintenance plan before the first prescription, not after the last one. That means nutrition guidance, muscle-protecting habits, behavioural support and regular metabolic check-ups built into care from the start. For a drug many people expect to work like a switch, the research points to a longer, more hands-on plan.
Read the original report on Medindia.
