More Ozempic Users Doubt They Can Keep Weight Off Without Drug: Study

While Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications have shown notable promise in returning patients to healthy weights, the majority of those taking the drugs are not confident they can maintain the improvement after ending treatment, according to a new report.

In a study of 500 patients by weight loss management service platform Levity, only two in five taking GLP-1 medication were confident they would maintain their weight loss after stopping the medication.

But in the report, there were obvious pros to the treatment. Roughly 75 percent of people taking GLP-1 medications reported improved physical health, 68 percent felt more confident and 56 percent said their mental health improved.

But there were downsides to taking the medication as well. Half of those on GLP-1 treatments said they felt judged or shamed for using weight loss drugs, with women significantly more likely to feel this way, at 66 percent, compared to 32 percent of men.

Ena Cardona-Mason, a Utah-based licensed family nurse practitioner and owner of The Holistic Approach for Women, said she’s witnessed many patients hoping for a miracle weight loss fix by using Ozempic, which was originally developed for managing type 2 diabetes.

According to Cardona-Mason, the concerns of patients relying on these drugs are realistic, as many regain the weight once ending medication.

A 2022 study discovered that after a year of ending Ozempic, the average person had regained two-thirds of the weight they originally lost.

“It’s true that Ozempic effectively aids weight loss by regulating appetite and slowing digestion, but studies show most people regain lost weight within a year without significant lifestyle changes,” Cardona-Mason told Newsweek.

The weight regain usually occurs because Ozempic mimics GLP-1, a hormone that reduces hunger. When discontinued, appetite and previous habits often return, and some patients also develop metabolic adaptation, a slowed metabolism after weight loss.

“Without continued medication or significant lifestyle interventions, the body’s natural tendency is to regain weight,” Cardona-Mason added. “While Ozempic can jump-start weight loss, long-term maintenance requires…