When sufferers cease taking semaglutide, well being care suppliers ought to put together them for potential withdrawal signs comparable to weight regain, elevated urge for food and meals cravings, and the re-emergence of cardiovascular and metabolic danger elements.
Semaglutide is an efficient pharmacotherapy for serving to sufferers with weight problems drop pounds. As a result of semaglutide just isn’t addictive, there are not any withdrawal signs per se, however there are some dangers and implications to be aware of. Semaglutide withdrawal signs embrace weight regain, elevated urge for food and meals cravings, and the potential re-emergence of cardiometabolic danger elements. Summarized beneath are some key issues to debate with sufferers as soon as they cease taking semaglutide.
An Overview of Semaglutide Withdrawal Signs
- Weight Regain. A 2022 research1 stories that, upon cessation of semaglutide, members regained two thirds of the load misplaced whereas taking weight reduction treatment. This research included 1,961 members who had been randomly assigned to a semaglutide remedy group (n = 1,306) and a placebo + way of life intervention group (n = 655). The semaglutide group started with a 0.25 mg dose and escalated to 2.4 mg over 16 weeks. The placebo + way of life intervention group had been placed on a 500 ok/cal day by day discount and 150 minutes per week of bodily exercise. After 68 weeks, remedy was stopped. Subgroup analyses present that that these within the semaglutide group who skilled larger weight reduction additionally skilled larger weight regain following the withdrawal of semaglutide.
- Elevated Urge for food and Meals Cravings. Semaglutide has been proven to scale back urge for food and improve emotions of satiety and fullness. In a randomized, double-blind management trial (n = 28) that consisted of two 12-week crossover remedy intervals, members had been randomly assigned to a semaglutide-placebo or placebo-semaglutide remedy sequence with a 5 – 7 wash out interval in between.2 Semaglutide was dosed at 0.25 mg after which escalated to 1.0 mg. Members taking semaglutide reported a lower in urge for food in comparison with the placebo group. Moreover, the semaglutide group reported higher management of consuming and fewer meals cravings in comparison with the placebo group. Though members weren’t tracked past the trial interval, it’s seemingly that after semaglutide is stopped meals cravings will return and urge for food management will not be as sturdy.
- Cardiometabolic well being. Sufferers with weight problems are susceptible to creating cardiometabolic danger elements in comparison with well being weight counterparts. Compared with a placebo, sufferers handled with semaglutide 2.4 mg noticed enhancements in cardiometabolic danger elements comparable to waist circumference, blood strain, lipids, HbA1c, no matter diabetes standing, and CRP. Reversion to normoglycemia from prediabetes additionally occurred within the semaglutide group.3
How you can Preserve Weight Off After Sufferers Cease Taking Semaglutide
When sufferers cease taking semaglutide, it is very important discuss with them about how semaglutide was linked to their weight reduction, decreased urge for food/meals cravings, and enhancements in cardiometabolic well being. The positive factors achieved whereas taking semaglutide will not be absolutely sustained as soon as stopping the treatment (and may very well be reversed); nonetheless, sufferers can mitigate reverting to pre-semaglutide metrics by committing to way of life modifications, together with healthy eating, physical activity, and good quality sleep.
- Wholesome Consuming. Following the Dietary Pointers for Adults4 is nice level of departure for collaborating with sufferers on a wholesome consuming plan. The DGA presents steerage on caloric consumption relative to power expenditure in addition to steerage based mostly on age, gender, and portion sizes. The DGA gives tips for obligatory macronutrients comparable to protein in addition to novel ideas to maintain sufferers engaged in wholesome consuming.
- Bodily Exercise. As a result of profitable weight reduction is routinely paired with exercise, well being care suppliers ought to work with sufferers to develop sustainable train packages that embrace a wide range of choices comparable to resistance training or weight training, cardio workout routines, Pilates, and yoga. 5,6,7,8
- Sleep is an oftentimes much less thought-about technique for weight reduction and weight upkeep.8,9 Poor sleep high quality has been linked to type 2 diabetes, heart problems, and emotional eating, so working with sufferers to develop a sustainable sleep hygiene protocol may also profit their post-semaglutide life. Sleep hygiene contains behaviors comparable to going to mattress on the identical time every night time and getting up on the identical time every day, eradicating digital units out of your bed room, and ensuring your sleeping house is darkish and quiet.10
Making ready Sufferers for his or her Lives Put up-Semaglutide
As a result of the analysis on weight acquire after stopping semaglutide, it is very important put together sufferers for his or her lives post-semaglutide. Be sure you discuss with sufferers previous to them going off semaglutide so that you’ve a workable and sustainable plan in place to managing weight-reduction plan, train, and sleep. A part of a wholesome way of life following remedy with semaglutide ought to embrace nutritionally designed meal replacements that provide sufferers a handy means to make sure they’re consuming the mandatory protein, fiber, nutritional vitamins, and minerals wanted for dietary well being whereas giving them the power they should lead a bodily energetic way of life.
Sources:
3 Cardiometabolic risk factors efficacy of semaglutide in the STEP program
8 The National Sleep Foundation
9 Effect of exercise training on sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis
10 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Tips for better sleep
