Although these health benefits are no longer in doubt, many patients take it without imagining that it quickly shows its limits when it is stopped.
“Spectacular” effects. This is a drug that arouses a lot of desire as its ability to lose weight is impressive. And its medical benefits don’t stop there. Many scientific studies as well as real-life doctors confirm that it regulates blood sugar, improves cholesterol and reduces blood pressure. But beware of the consequences when stopping it, warns Dr. Perry Wilson of Yale University (USA) after reading the study by researchers specializing in obesity and metabolic diseases.
According to their analysis, the positive effects of the drug are not lasting in the event of stopping, particularly for weight, although this is generally what patients who take it are looking for. In fact, a person who stops this treatment immediately begins to gain weight, even with a balanced diet and physical exercise. The greater this weight gain, the more the benefits obtained during treatment disappear. “People who gain a lot of weight back see their waist circumference increase significantly, their blood pressure rise and their diabetes parameters deteriorate” detail the authors in JAMA Internal Medicine. “I find this incredibly dramatic. For most people, stopping means an eventual return to the initial state.” shares Dr. Wilson on Medscape.
This medicine is tirzepatide. It is marketed under the name Mounjaro®. “Tirzepatide allows weight loss of around 20% in one year” explains Dr. Wilson. For example, an 80 kilo woman who takes this medication can lose 16 kilos in one year, and go down to 64 kilos. Tirzepatide belongs to the family of GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic® and Wegovy®.
These drugs have experienced unprecedented growth since their marketing at the dawn of the 2020s, particularly in the United States. There, a simple excess weight with a little cholesterol is enough to be prescribed the “miracle” molecule to get back in shape. In France, the situation is more regulated since these treatments are reserved for diabetics and those with a BMI greater than 35 (compared to 27 in the United States).
While waiting to learn more about their long-term effects, Dr. Wilson “remains convinced that this class of drugs has something very special to offer, both on an individual and collective level”. The best way to follow your treatment without risk is to respect the dosage given by the doctor, follow the classic delivery circuit (no purchase on the Internet) and never stop treatment without medical advice.
