In this new study, the results indicate that patients using the weight loss drug Zepbound from Eli Lilly experience a “substantial” weight gain after stopping treatment. Previous studies have shown that discontinuing other weight loss medications can lead to patients regaining the weight they lost.
Study Participants
The study included 783 participants from the United States, Argentina, Brazil, and Taiwan for 36 weeks before 670 of them were divided for a double-blind study, where neither the researchers nor the participants knew what the participants were taking. All participants were encouraged to reduce approximately 500 calories from their diet and exercise for at least 150 minutes per week.
Key Results
The study found that participants who switched to a placebo after 36 weeks on Zepbound regained an average of 14.8% of the weight they had lost after a subsequent 52-week period. Meanwhile, participants who continued using Zepbound reduced their weight by an average of 5.5%, and the study noted that stopping the medication could lead to a “substantial increase in lost weight.”
Louis Aronne, the lead researcher of the study, explained in an interview with CNN that the placebo treatment group is likely to regain all the weight they lost. The study showed that the group continuing Zepbound weighed an average of 60 pounds less and lost 9 inches from their waist circumference, while the average for the placebo group was 22 pounds and more than three inches.
Interesting Fact
Aronne noted that the placebo group “was not worse off than before,” adding that improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol were recorded.
Main Background
Zepbound, also known as terzepatide, is a weekly injection approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration aimed at assisting weight loss in adults who are obese or overweight and have at least one weight-related medical issue, such as type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. The drug is now available in pharmacies in the United States and can cost $1,060 for a one-month prescription. Clinical trials have shown that a weekly dose of 15 mg of Zepbound reduces weight by 22.5% over 72 weeks.
Future Reading
For more information, you can read the following articles:
- FDA-approved weight loss drug Zepbound available in U.S. pharmacies
- Mounjaro diabetes drug expected to be approved for weight loss soon
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