Study - Kilos come back after discontinuation of slimming agent
Some hopes are pinned on drugs in the fight against obesity - however, there is increasing evidence in research of a yo-yo effect after discontinuation. With the active ingredient tirzepatide, patients showed a significant weight regain when they were only given a placebo after 36 weeks of taking the drug. This was reported by a research team in the journal "Jama". In the second group of test subjects, however, who continued to take the drug, the kilos continued to tumble. The results come as no surprise to experts.
According to the study, tirzepatide has so far been approved for the treatment of obesity in the USA, for example, but not in the EU. In Germany, it can only be used under the name "Mounjaro" in certain cases of type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide is considered to be even more effective than the active ingredient semaglutide ("Wegovy"), which is often referred to in this country when it comes to weight loss injections. As with semaglutide preparations, the study participants were also required to follow a diet and be sufficiently physically active.
The study involved 670 patients in various countries who were obese or overweight at the start. After 36 weeks, they had reduced their weight by around 21 percent on average, the team reports. Some of the test subjects were also given the active ingredient afterwards and lost a further 5.5 percent of their weight by week 88 of the study. The researchers gave a second group only a placebo after the first phase: this group gained a significant amount of weight again by the end of the study. However, the test subjects still recorded a weight loss of around ten percent over the entire study period.
Side effects occur frequently
In the view of the study authors, the results underline the need to continue the therapy if weight regain is to be avoided. At least five studies on different classes of medication - including this one - have shown that there is a clear yo-yo effect after discontinuation. Semaglutide was one of them. Further studies are needed to understand the possible long-term benefits and risks of short-term therapies.
The results are "anything but surprising", said Stephan Martin, Chief Physician for Diabetology and Director of the West German Diabetes and Health Center in Düsseldorf, referring to almost identical study results for semaglutide. It should also be noted that study participants were specially selected, motivated and also underwent special lifestyle training. Due to the reduced support in daily practice, patients could possibly even regain weight more quickly after discontinuing the therapy. "The studies therefore clearly show that the 'miracle injections' must be used for life," said Martin.
The study also shows that side effects are relatively common and mostly affect the gastrointestinal tract, such as nausea, diarrhea and constipation. This is similar to semaglutide preparations. The severity was described in the study as mostly mild to moderate, and the side effects became less frequent over time. However, some people also discontinued participation in the study due to side effects.
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- Despite the approvals in the USA for obesity treatment, tirzepatide is not yet available in the EU for this purpose, with only limited use permitted in Germany for type 2 diabetes.
- The pharmaceutical industry is looking to drugs like tirzepatide to combat diseases such as obesity, but research is showing a yo-yo effect after discontinuation of such medications.
- Obesity and overweight are significant health issues worldwide, and while New York has been at the forefront of weight loss initiatives, the study suggests that long-term therapy is crucial to avoid weight regain.
- The EU and other countries closely monitor pharmaceuticals like tirzepatide for their efficacy and potential side effects, with the European Medicines Agency playing a key role in this process.
- Germany, like the USA, is home to a robust pharmaceutical industry and is a leader in scientific research, contributing to the development of drugs like tirzepatide.
Source: www.stern.de
