Wegovy is also supposed to help against alcohol and nicotine addiction: the weight falls back after the weight loss miracle injection is stopped

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The active ingredient, tirzepatide, showed significant weight gain in patients taking only a dummy drug 36 weeks after taking the drug. This was reported by a team of researchers in the journal “Jama”. However, the weight of the second group of subjects who continued to take the drug continued to decrease. The results are no surprise to experts.

According to the study, tirzepatide has so far been approved for the treatment of obesity in the US but not yet in the EU. There, it can currently only be used under the name “Mounjaro” in certain cases of type 2 diabetes.

Tirzepatide is thought to be even more effective than the active ingredient semaglutide (“Wegovy”), which is often mentioned when it comes to weight loss injections. Similar to semaglutide preparations, study participants must follow a diet and be sufficiently physically active.

Motivation and lifestyle are important

The study included 670 patients from different countries who were obese or overweight at baseline. The team reported that their weight decreased by about 21 percent on average after 36 weeks. Some of the test subjects then also took the active ingredient and lost 5.5 percent more weight by the 88th week of the study. After the first phase, the researchers gave a placebo only to a second group: by the end of the study, this group had increased significantly again. However, test subjects still recorded a weight loss of around ten percent over the entire study period.

From the study authors’ perspective, the results highlight the need to continue treatment if you want to avoid gaining weight again. At least five studies on different classes of drugs – including the current one – have shown a clear yo-yo effect after drug discontinuation. This included semaglutide. More studies will be needed to understand the possible long-term benefits and risks of short-term treatments.

Pointing to nearly identical study results for semaglutide, Stephan Martin, chief physician of diabetology and director of the West German Center for Diabetes and Health in Düsseldorf, said the results were “not surprising at all.” It should also be noted that the study participants were specifically selected, motivated, and also specifically trained in terms of lifestyle.

“Miracle syringes” should probably be used for life

Patients may gain weight faster after stopping treatment due to less maintenance in daily practice. “Research clearly shows that ‘miracle syringes’ should be used for life,” Martin said.

The study also shows that side effects are relatively common and mostly affect the gastrointestinal tract, such as nausea, diarrhea and constipation. This is similar to semaglutide preparations. Severity was mostly described as mild to moderate in the study, and side effects became less frequent over time. However, some people stopped participating in the study due to side effects.

Can you also help against alcohol and nicotine addiction?

The active ingredient semaglutide not only reduces weight, but also apparently alleviates alcohol cravings. A small study of alcoholic patients in the United States shows this, CH Media newspapers report.

For several months, anecdotal reports have been circulating again and again that patients being treated for obesity “miraculously no longer want fatty and sweet foods, but also alcohol.” There are even reports of decreased nicotine cravings.

According to the research team, this is because semaglutide affects the reward system in the brain, or more precisely, the dopamine level. Drinking alcohol increases the release of dopamine, which triggers addictive behavior. Apparently this process is blocked by the drug, which means alcohol no longer brings a feeling of happiness. What is true for alcohol may also be true for other addictive substances, such as nicotine. (SDA/cut)

Source :Blick