Discover what happens when you stop taking GLP-1 medications, the potential effects on your health, and expert strategies to manage withdrawal and maintain your weight and well-being.

Unequivocally, GLP-1 medications like Ozempic have helped many adults lose weight and control blood glucose levels. GLP-1 medications mimic a naturally occurring hormone in our bodies — glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) — which helps regulate appetite and blood sugar.

 

Weight loss and glucose control occur because GLP-1 slows digestion, helping people feel fuller for longer periods. It also reduces appetite, leading to decreased food intake, and regulates insulin production and inhibition, which contributes to better blood sugar control.

 

As with most medications, once GLP-1 use is stopped, its benefits may diminish. Many users of GLP-1 medications are left wondering, “What will happen if I stop taking my GLP-1 medication?” Withdrawal can be a real issue for some patients, so it’s important to understand what happens when GLP-1 treatment is discontinued.

What to Expect When You Stop Taking Your GLP-1 Medication

Stopping a GLP-1 medication may result from several factors, such as gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, cost, supply issues, reaching a weight loss goal, or not tolerating the medication. While the reasons for discontinuing GLP-1 medications vary, there are some effects to be aware of:

• Weight Regain: Research has shown that weight regain is likely when a GLP-1 medication is discontinued. The STEP-1 trial, a clinical trial sponsored by Novo Nordisk A/S, included 1,961 adults with obesity. Study participants achieved clinically significant weight loss, but after one year of stopping their GLP-1 medication, two-thirds of participants regained nearly all of the weight they lost.

 

• Increase in Blood Sugar: GLP-1 medications stimulate the pancreas to release insulin. When the medication is stopped, insulin release may decrease, leading to higher blood sugar levels and reduced blood sugar control.

 

• Loss of Cardiometabolic Benefits: GLP-1 medications are known to offer cardiometabolic benefits, such as lower blood pressure, improved cholesterol levels, and a reduced risk of heart attack or stroke. The STEP-1 trial also found that one year after discontinuing GLP-1 medications, participants experienced a reduction in these cardiometabolic benefits.

 

• Increased Appetite: Another consequence of GLP-1 withdrawal is an increase in appetite. After discontinuing the medication, individuals’ appetites often return to pre-treatment levels.

 

• Food Noise: “Food noise” refers to persistent thoughts about food — what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, reflecting on past meals, or questioning why we ate what we did. It’s the constant inner dialogue focused on food. GLP-1 medications have been effective in reducing food noise by promoting satiety (the feeling of fullness), slowing gastric emptying (digestion), and altering the brain’s reward-seeking pathways, which helps control food-related thoughts.

Managing GLP-1 Withdrawal

Regardless of the reason to discontinue a GLP-1 medication, there are lifestyle strategies to mitigate unwanted weight gain and maintain cardiometabolic benefits.

• Healthy diet: Adapting your diet to include lean proteins, such as skinless white meat poultry, pork, and seafood, will promote a feeling of fullness. Including plant-based proteins, whole grains, and dark leafy green vegetables can help manage appetite. Examples of healthy plant-based options are tofu, lentils, quinoa, spinach, and kale. These will help you feel full while offering nutritional value. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides information about healthy eating.

 

• Mindful eating: Mindful eating purposely directs our attention to the activity of eating and helps bring conscious awareness to the task, which can mitigate habitual responses to food. It is characterized by bringing full attention and awareness to the food we are eating, as well as how our body feels as we eat (e.g., hungry or satiated). Mindful eating helps us stay in the present moment and remain focused on the task at hand — eating. To practice mindful eating, make eating the only task — put away electronics and turn off the TV. Focus your attention solely on the act of eating and the associated feelings,

 

•   Responsible eating: After discontinuing a GLP-1 medication, it is important to make responsible food choices. Responsible food choices involve selecting foods that support a nutrient-dense diet, where the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for macronutrients — such as protein, fiber, fats, and carbohydrates — are met, as well as the RDA for micronutrients (e.g., essential vitamins and minerals). Protein is one of the most important macronutrients to consume while on a GLP-1 medication

 

• Increasing physical activity and lean muscle mass: The CDC currently recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week for adults. Aerobic activities like walking, hiking, dancing, or cycling can help burn calories while building cardiovascular health. Anaerobic activities, such as resistance training or functional strength training, can help preserve lean muscle mass, which also burns calories. Muscle is metabolically active, so the more lean mass one has, the more calories are expended, even while at rest. Lean muscle mass also helps regulate blood glucose by improving insulin sensitivity. Muscle absorbs glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream and uses it for energy, helping lower blood glucose and your body’s reliance on insulin.

 

•  Scientifically formulated dietary supplements: As part of a healthy eating plan, incorporating scientifically formulated dietary beverages and snacks are effective ways to jumpstart your journey toward healthy eating. For example, Biocare’s nutritional composition can help satisfy your daily recommended allowance (RDA) for macronutrients and micronutrients. With a caloric range of 130–170 calories, Biocare is a nutrient-dense option.

Prior to starting any weight loss program, whether it includes anti-obesity medication or not, be sure to consult with your healthcare provider to make sure your desired weight loss strategy is right for you.

 

About the Author: Dr. Dawn M. Sweet has over 20 years of experience in the field of communication. Dr. Sweet has given several invited talks to and workshops for academic and private sector audiences on the role of nonverbal and verbal communication in achieving positive outcomes and mitigating bias. Her research has been published in several top ranked peer-review journals, and it has been featured on NPR’s River to River / All Things Considered, Buzzfeed, and Science Daily. Her research has also been used to inform expert testimony.