People using weight loss injections of the medications semaglutide or tirzepatide hope for big results. Studies have suggested that medications can help people lose up to 20 percent of their body weight in 72 weeks. But, a new study that looked at the drug in everyday settings didn’t see the same drastic results.
“The average patient in the real world is not getting the weight loss that we see in clinical trials,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Karan Chhabra, from New York Univ.
The team looked at the medical data of 51,085 people with a BMI of 35 or greater who received either semaglutide or tirzepatide or weight loss surgery. They compared the weight loss of 38,545 people who took medication vs. 12,540 who had surgery. The researchers looked at three years of data. They saw that people who had bariatric surgery lost significantly more weight on average than people who took medication.
After two years, people who had bariatric surgery lost an average of 26.5 percent of their body weight. People taking weight loss injections only lost an average of 5.7 percent. The people who were the most disciplined about taking their medication lost about 12 percent of their body weight — a far cry from the 20 percent promised by clinical trials.
Dr. Chhabra said it’s unclear why semaglutide didn’t appear to have the same impact in the real world as it does in clinical trials, but he had theories. It’s an expensive medication, and people might not take it as prescribed or stick with it for as long as they need to. People also need to change their dosage over time. That means they need to be closely communicating with their doctor. Plus, side effects may stop people from taking it the way they should. The study said that in the real world, far more people stopped using the medication because of the cost, insurance problems and supply shortages.
While surgery seems expensive, it’s cheaper in the long run as the medication is expensive, and people need to get it again and again. “Bariatric surgery can do well for many people and is certainly cheaper over the longer run,” said Prof. Naveed Sattar of the Univ. of Glasgow. “The issue may be that most people likely prefer to take medicines for weight loss rather than have surgery.”
While the research shouldn’t stop anyone from considering these medications if this is something you are interested in, it does give you things to consider. Learning about potential side effects is always essential. Knowing the long-term cost before you commit can help you decide if it’s a good fit for you. And you have to make a plan with your doctor about communication and how to manage your maintenance dosages to be sure you see the results you are looking for.
