Simple Metabolic Reset Found to Prevent Weight Regain After Stopping GLP-1 Drugs

A simple outpatient procedure may provide a majority of people who discontinue popular weight-loss drugs a way to prevent regaining their lost pounds, scientists reveal in a new study.

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have ushered in a new era of diabetes management and weight loss, with some estimates suggesting 1 in 8 Americans could be taking these jabs.

While initially developed for blood sugar control to manage diabetes, they have since become available extensively for those seeking to shed some pounds, helping patients lose anywhere from 15 per cent to 20 per cent of their body weight.

But recent studies suggest that many patients who discontinue these drugs after achieving their weight loss results are regaining nearly two-thirds of their lost pounds.

Now, a new world-first clinical trial reveals a safe, effective, and long-lasting way to maintain drug-free weight loss after GLP-1 discontinuation, scientists say.

“As effective as GLP-1 medications are, many people stop taking them because of cost, side effects or simply not wanting to take a drug long-term,” said Dr Shelby Sullivan from the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine.

“But, if they stop these medications, weight regain occurs in the vast majority of patients, and the metabolic benefits are lost,” Dr Sullivan explained.

The new minimally invasive endoscopic procedure, known as duodenal mucosal resurfacing, may provide “lasting weight-loss maintenance”, according to scientists.

It uses targeted heat to burn the unhealthy inner mucosal lining of the duodenum, the upper part of the small intestine just below the stomach.

The procedure works by renewing the lining of the upper small intestine, potentially “resetting” metabolism and preserving the benefits of weight loss.

In a clinical trial, those who underwent duodenal mucosal resurfacing regained far less weight compared to others after discontinuing the medication.

About 70% of people who stop these drugs eventually regain much of the weight they lost, often within 18 months.

Nearly one in five adults with obesity has used a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), highlighting the scale of this challenge.