Approximately 10% to 15% of the people trying weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound experience minimal weight loss|Chemist4U|CC BY-SA 2.0
Weight loss GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound have gained popularity over the past year. However, researchers say many people aren’t feeling the effects, with some losing less than 5% of their body weight.
Approximately 10% to 15% of the people who try these injectable drugs experience little to no appetite reduction, leading to minimal weight loss. They are categorized as “non-responders.”
Why?
Experts suggest several factors like genetic differences, medical conditions, medications, previous weight loss efforts and metabolic variances.
Non-responders have long been evident across clinical trials.
- In a trial for semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic), about 14% of patients lost less than 5% of their body weight.
- In a separate trial for tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound), 9% experienced similar results.
Physicians suggest exploring other medications, lifestyle changes or bariatric surgery for non-responders. Genetic testing may also offer insights into their resistance to GLP-1 drugs.