GLP-1 Drugs And Exercise: The Magic Combo For Weight Management?

A new study published in The Lancet suggests that a combination of GLP-1 drugs and exercise may support long-term weight management.

People have long searched for sustainable ways to manage their weight. It’s well-known that many diets face challenges due to weight cycling, which is often referred to as “yo-yo dieting.” This describes the pattern of losing weight, regaining it, and then dieting again to lose weight, in a repeating cycle. (1)

With more GLP-1 drugs being used for weight management purposes, there are also growing concerns about potential weight regain after coming off these medications.

This new study explores a potential approach to these ongoing concerns.

[signup]

What are the key findings of the study?

In the study, 166 adults with obesity went through an eight-week low-calorie diet induced weight loss of 13.1 kg (around 28.8 pounds) and then were randomly allocated to a one-year weight loss maintenance program using either: 

1. A supervised exercise program
2. A GLP-1 drug called liraglutide 
3. A combination of exercise and liraglutide
4. A placebo

All randomized participants were invited to participate in the post-treatment study with outcome assessments one year after treatment termination.

Of the 109 adults who participated in this portion, they found that the participants who had supervised exercise and liraglutide were more likely to have maintained a weight loss of at least 10% of initial body weight one year after treatment termination. 

Also notable: After stopping the treatments, participants who had been on liraglutide alone regained more weight (an average of around 13 pounds), compared to those who had the combination treatment or supervised exercise alone.

According to the study: 

“All available evidence shows that weight loss obtained with obesity pharmacotherapy is challenging to maintain after termination of treatment. Supervised exercise together with obesity pharmacotherapy holds more potential for supporting body weight and fat mass management after treatment termination compared with obesity pharmacotherapy without supervised exercise.”

So what are the implications of these results? 

The implications of this study 

Here are some of the most important takeaways from this study: 

• Long term > short term. When searching for weight management solutions, many people turn to ‘shortcuts,’ such as medications and fad diets, to help them shed pounds quickly. This study highlights the importance of focusing on long-term behavioral change over short-term fixes to meet weight management goals.

• Exercise should be the first step. It’s well-known that exercise has a positive effect on weight management, in addition to benefits like supporting brain health, reducing risk factors for certain conditions, and promoting stronger bones and muscles. (2) But given that exercise alone led to better outcomes than medication alone, it suggests that physical activity should be a primary consideration for weight management-related strategies — especially for individuals who may not be well suited for GLP-1 drugs for any reason. 

• Holistic, comprehensive care is critical. Finally, this study reinforces the importance of taking a holistic, comprehensive approach to care — one that examines how medicine can be combined with other practices, such as exercise, healthy diets, and supplements, to support the impact of certain strategies. 

Hopefully, there will be more studies like this in the future, that explore the long-term effects of comprehensive approaches in addressing chronic conditions. 

Key Takeaways

• A new study in The Lancet examines the effects of GLP-1 drugs and exercise on long-term weight management. 
• The results suggest that a combination of GLP-1 drugs and exercise may be an effective approach for supporting weight management. 
• This study highlights the importance of taking a more holistic, comprehensive approach to health.