Study finds weight maintenance after reduced GLP-1 dosing
Mar 6th 2026
A small Scripps Health study found most people who switched to a reduced schedule of GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide kept their weight loss and metabolic gains over about nine months, but the findings need confirmation in larger randomized trials.
- Scripps Health followed 30 patients who tapered semaglutide or tirzepatide and were observed for an average of 36 weeks.
- Twenty one patients were on tirzepatide and nine were on semaglutide.
- Most patients maintained BMI and improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar, with only five showing small weight regain.
- Patients spaced doses as infrequently as every two weeks, and one person reported waiting every five to six doses.
- The study is small and observational, and larger randomized trials are needed to confirm whether reduced dosing is safe and effective for most people.