Doctor warns of six health risks when stopping GLP-1 weight-loss drugs

Physician Frank Dumont, an internal-medicine doctor and executive medical director at Virta Health, said patients often discontinue GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound within a year because of side effects or a desire to avoid long-term medication. Common adverse effects include nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea, which can make adequate nutrition difficult. He added that serious reactions such as acute pancreatitis would require immediate cessation.

Dumont identified six risks that may arise after stopping a GLP-1. The most immediate is a sharp increase in appetite and cravings, sometimes described as “food noise.” He noted that without sustained dietary changes, patients are likely to revert to previous eating habits, leading to weight regain. Clinical trial data show that participants who stopped semaglutide regained about two-thirds of lost weight within a year, while those who discontinued tirzepatide regained more than half of their loss despite diet and exercise counseling.

Biomarkers such as blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, which often improve on GLP-1 therapy, can deteriorate after discontinuation if dietary habits are not altered. Improvements in fatty-liver disease may also reverse. Dumont explained that weight loss on GLP-1s includes loss of both fat and lean muscle mass; a study of tirzepatide found roughly 25% of the loss was lean tissue. Repeated cycles of treatment and cessation could lead to a “ratcheting-down” effect, where muscle loss is not fully recovered.

The physician also warned of mental-health impacts, describing how patients who view GLP-1s as a final solution may feel discouraged if weight returns. An observational study in BMJ Medicine linked discontinuation of GLP-1 therapy in type-2 diabetes patients to a higher risk of major cardiovascular events, with longer gaps off treatment associated with greater risk.

Dumont emphasized that lasting metabolic benefits require sustained lifestyle changes. He cited peer-reviewed data showing that patients can stop GLP-1 medication after achieving metabolic goals, provided they adopt a sustainable eating plan and work with their clinician to monitor weight and blood-sugar levels.

"The GLP-1 is not the only solution. It needs to be coupled with a way of eating that's going to work for you for the long term," Dumont said.

He recommends that patients discuss a tapering plan with their prescriber and continue regular monitoring after discontinuation.