After the jabs

An expert explains how weight-loss medications impact our bodies and what happens when you stop taking them. By CAMILLA FOSTER

- CAMILLA FOSTER

Weight loss jabs work... but are not a long-term solution for most

MORE long-term support is required for people on weight-loss medications after a study found patients who use them put on weight quickly after stopping treatment.

The University of Oxford research, published in the British Medical Journal, included 37 trials with more than 9,000 people on medications such as semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro). These “weight-loss jabs”, also known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s or GLP-1RAs), help people feel fuller by mimicking a natural hormone released after eating.

Participants were treated for an average of 10 months and had a followup after eight months. Overall, people using weight-loss medication lost an average of 8.3kg, but regained 4.8kg within a year and returned to their original weight around 19 months after stopping treatment.