Two New Ways to Keep Weight Off After Diets and GLP-1 Drugs

Millions of Americans face a frustrating problem: after losing weight through dieting or medications like Wegovy and Zepbound, most gain it back once they stop. Now two breakthrough studies offer genuine hope for breaking this cycle.

One in eight American adults currently takes GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound for diabetes or weight loss. Most people eventually stop these weekly injections, and when they do, the weight typically returns.

The first study followed 370 people who had been using injectable GLP-1 medications for 72 weeks. Half switched to a daily pill called orforglipron, while others took a placebo.

After a year, the results were striking. People taking the daily pill maintained about 75 to 79 percent of their weight loss, while the placebo group kept off only 38 to 49 percent.

Daniel Drucker, a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, called the findings promising. The daily pill option gives people who prefer tablets over injections a real alternative for maintaining their progress.

The second study tested a different approach entirely. Researchers gave 84 adults a probiotic supplement containing Akkermansia muciniphila bacteria after they completed an eight-week low-calorie diet.

After six months, the group taking the supplement had regained less weight. They ended the study having lost about three kilograms more than those who took a placebo while eating a normal balanced diet.

Why This Inspires

These discoveries matter because weight regain has been the biggest obstacle in helping people manage obesity long term. Most people succeed at losing weight at some point in their lives, but keeping it off has remained frustratingly difficult.

The probiotic approach is particularly exciting because it builds on previous animal studies and represents the first long-term human trial. Lead researcher Ellen Blaak from Maastricht University in the Netherlands says the bacteria could become a practical tool for everyday use.

Both methods are still relatively new. The daily pill, Foundayo, only received FDA approval in April 2024, so doctors have less safety data compared to the established injectable versions.

Researchers plan to follow patients for longer periods and explore whether natural levels of gut bacteria play a role in weight maintenance. The team is also investigating other potential microbial treatments.

For the millions struggling to maintain their hard-won weight loss, these studies represent more than just scientific progress—they offer tangible paths forward and the hope that keeping weight off might finally become achievable.