Skeptics of the GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA) medications such as Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Zepbound often question the need to take these medications forever. And then they love to ask about the long-term use of drugs without weighing the risk, which is somewhat unknown due to “only” a decade or more of use of this drug class, and the inherent dangers of the medications vs the benefits, which are potentially vast, and extend beyond weight loss. This article published this January 2024 highlights that GLP-1 medications have long-lasting effects on weight loss for most users even after they stop taking the medications semaglutide and liraglutide, also known as Wegovy, Ozempic, and Saxenda. It states that less than 18-19% of the treatment group with both medications who lost at least 5 pounds regained the weight back or even gained more. That means about 82% kept the weight off, at least to some extent. It further showed that 56% kept their weight off or even lost more weight. So, are these medications worth a try? That’s an individual decision you should make with your practitioner.
