Treatment

Weight-loss medications, especially GLP-1–based drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide, have transformed obesity treatment. Double-digit percentage weight loss, rapid metabolic improvements, and strong cardiovascular signals have driven unprecedented demand.

But a crucial question has lingered behind the headlines: what happens when people stop taking these drugs?

A major new BMJ systematic review and meta-analysis (January 2026) offers the clearest answer yet, and the findings should reshape how clinicians, policymakers, and patients think about weight-loss medications.

The review pooled data from 37 studies, over 9,300 participants, covering nearly every major weight-management medication used over the past four decades, from older agents like orlistat and sibutramine to modern incretin mimetics.

The headline finding is stark:

GLP-1 medications are reshaping how we treat obesity and type 2 diabetes by targeting appetite regulation, blood glucose control, and cardiometabolic risk.

As use expands rapidly, understanding both their benefits, and what happens beyond the prescription, has never been more important.

Read more about it here: https://www.t2dnetwork.ca/post/glp-1-medications

A major new BMJ analysis shows that most people regain weight rapidly after discontinuing weight-loss medications, with benefits to blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure fading within a year. Even more striking: weight regain is faster after stopping drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide than after lifestyle programmes, despite greater initial weight loss.

As prescriptions soar, this evidence reframes obesity as a chronic condition that may require long-term treatment, not short-term fixes. A must-read for clinicians, policymakers, and anyone thinking about what “success” in weight loss really means.

https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj-2025-085304

A recent retrospective observational study examined adults with type 2 diabetes treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists and found important nutritional and body composition concerns alongside weight loss.

"Over 20 % had nutritional deficiencies diagnosed within one-year of starting GLP-1RA treatment."

Key points

• Use of GLP-1 receptor agonists was associated with loss of lean muscle mass, not just fat mass.