The yo-yo effect could set in after weight loss injections
Just one prick and the kilos tumble? Losing weight seems to be child's play with the new weight loss injections. But there is another unpleasant effect to add to the list of side effects: according to studies, the unloved yo-yo effect sets in relatively quickly after stopping the medication.
There is some hope for 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, study participants should also follow a diet and be sufficiently physically active.
Similar results for semaglutide
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.
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.
Nausea, diarrhea and constipation
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.
Read also:
- This will change in December
- German activists speak out in Dubai on suffering in Israel and the Gaza Strip
- Nuclear fusion - hype or solution to energy problems?
- Budget crisis fuels debate on citizen's income - Bas warns against populism
While tirzepatide and semaglutide have shown promising weight loss results in studies, there's a concern about the yo-yo effect upon discontinuation of these medications. For instance, a study published in "Jama" reported significant weight regain in a group given a placebo after taking tirzepatide, whereas those who continued the therapy continued losing weight. Similarly, studies on semaglutide have shown a clear yo-yo effect after discontinuation, highlighting the need for long-term therapy to avoid weight regain.
Source: www.ntv.de
