aA new generation of highly effective weight loss drugs is on the market, but doctors are still trying to figure out how long they should take the drugs for best results. is.
A new study provides clues.Writing in progress Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, researchers report what happens when people stop taking the weight loss drug tirzepatide, known as Zepbound. Tilzepatide helps you lose weight at a double-digit rate compared to his single-digit rate of weight through diet and exercise.
The study, sponsored by Eli Lilly, the drug's manufacturer, included 670 people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher and one weight-related health comorbidity other than diabetes. Participated. All participants took tirzepatide for nine months and were then randomly and blindly assigned to continue taking the drug or start taking a placebo for one year. Physicians provided dietary and exercise support to all participants during the study period.
After taking this drug for nine months, people lost an average of 20.9% of their body weight. Those who continued on the medication lost an additional 5% of their original weight over the next year, while those who took the placebo regained 14% of their weight. Improvements in measurements such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and waist circumference also began to wane.
“As with diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and many other metabolic diseases, our results show that some form of chronic treatment is necessary to maintain the full weight loss benefits of treatment. ,” says Dr. Louis Aronne. , director of the Comprehensive Weight Management Center at Weill Cornell Medicine and lead author of the study.
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But even when people stopped taking tirpzepatide, the benefits didn't immediately disappear. A year after stopping, people still didn't regain their weight, but they did improve in some areas, including increased sensitivity to insulin, lower risk of diabetes, and healthier triglyceride levels. followed. “This shows that chronic treatment is necessary for optimal results, but that all benefits are not immediately lost when people stop receiving the treatment.” Aronne says.
Tirzepatide was only approved in November, so it's still too early to know how long you'll need to take this drug and how it can best be incorporated into your weight loss program. . “What if some people took their medications lower, took them less frequently, or received more intensive behavioral and nutritional interventions? Would they be better able to maintain their weight loss? ?'' says Aronne. “All of those are possibilities, but we'll just have to wait and see.”
What is now clear is that this drug, combined with diet and exercise, gives you the best chance of losing weight and keeping it off. The initial weight loss caused by the drug can set off a jump in physiological changes that make it easier for people to adjust their eating habits and become more physically active. “The role of these drugs is that they tend to help people adhere to a proper diet. They're not as hungry and may not have the same cravings,” says Aronne. says. Tirzepatide is not intended to replace healthy habits, but “to make those habits better.”
