A claim you hear on longevity podcasts

Do most people stop GLP-1 drugs within two years?

The claim checked: Most people who start a GLP-1 drug stop within two years, mostly because of side effects Hear it at 1:07:39

What do the studies say?

Conflicting

Five of nine studies found that most people stop. The largest followed US adults with overweight or obesity: 53.6% had stopped by 1 year and 72.2% by 2 years. A UK study of people with type 2 diabetes found nearly two-thirds stopped within 24 months. Three studies, all in people with type 2 diabetes, found fewer people stopping. A Swedish register found 38.5% had stopped at 3 years.

Computed from 9 studies that test this point, each judged by two readers, in full. Sources land on both sides. 6 more studies are waiting for a full read and do not count yet.

What was said on the podcast?

“that people don't take in general, they don't take these GLP-1 drugs for a long period of time. A a majority uh will discontinue treatment within two years of starting”
Scott Kanoski, a guest on Huberman Lab · How Food Choices Shape Memory, Cognition & Cravings | Dr. Scott Kanoski · 1:07:39 on YouTube
Episode check Most people quit GLP-1 drugs within two years, the episode says. Nine studies split on it. 4 claims checked against 50 studies · 29 chapters not checked yet See the whole episode →
Point 1 of 2 Conflicting

Most people who start a GLP-1 receptor agonist stop taking it within two years

Agree 5

other primary study · 2025 · landmark

“Accounting for censoring, 53.6% (95% CI, 53.4%-53.9%) discontinued by 1 year, and 72.2% (95% CI, 71.9%-72.4%) discontinued by 2 years.”

Discontinuation and Reinitiation of Dual-Labeled GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Among US Adults With Overweight or Obesity. JAMA Netw Open
Who: US adults with overweight or obesity (BMI 27 or higher), with or without type 2 diabetes, newly dispensed liraglutide, injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide between 2018 and 2023, from EHR data of 30 US health systems (Truveta)
PMID 39888616

other primary study · 2024 · landmark

“This study found less than one-third of the commercially insured obese adults without diabetes newly initiating GLP-1 weight loss treatment in 2021 remained persistent on GLP-1 therapy a year later.”

Real-world persistence and adherence to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists among obese commercially insured adults without diabetes. J Manag Care Spec Pharm
Who: Commercially insured US adults with an obesity diagnosis and without diabetes newly initiating a GLP-1 receptor agonist in 2021 (81.1% female, mean age 46.4 years)
PMID 38717042

other primary study · 2022 · landmark

“Although approximately 60% of the cohort was adherent during their observed time on therapy, nearly half of patients discontinued GLP-1 RA therapy within 12 months and nearly two-thirds discontinued within 24 months.”

Real-world weight change, adherence, and discontinuation among patients with type 2 diabetes initiating glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in the UK. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care
Who: 589 adults with type 2 diabetes in the UK CPRD newly initiating injectable GLP-1 RA monotherapy or dual therapy with metformin (mean age 53)
PMID 35101924

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other primary study · 2025 · landmark

“Medication discontinuation was 14%, 24%, 35% and 50% at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, respectively.”

Real-world titration, persistence & weight loss of semaglutide and tirzepatide in an academic obesity clinic. Diabetes Obes Metab
Who: 2306 adults aged 18-75 in a no-cost medical weight loss bundle at one US academic obesity clinic, prescribed semaglutide or tirzepatide for obesity (85% female, median age 46)
PMID 40762026

other primary study · 2025 · landmark

“In this study, 20.4% of patients discontinued their obesity pharmacotherapy early, and 32.0% discontinued late, which is considerably higher than the rates of discontinuation at ~1 year in the main phase 3 trials (including 17.1% for semaglutide 2.4 mg injection [STEP 1] and 14.3%–16.4% for tirzepatide 5–15 mg [SURMOUNT‐1] [ 3 , 4 ]).”

Changes in weight and glycemic control following obesity treatment with semaglutide or tirzepatide by discontinuation status. Obesity (Silver Spring)
Who: Adults at Cleveland Clinic (Ohio and Florida) who filled an initial prescription for injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide for obesity in 2021-2023 (mean age 51.3, mean BMI 39.7, 75.2% female)
PMID 40491239

Partly agree 1

other primary study · 2026

“Overall, the absolute 1‐year risk of GLP‐1RA therapy discontinuation was 41.1% (95% CI 40.1–42.2; Figure 1A and Table S6 ).”

Real-world persistence and dose titration of GLP-1 receptor agonists in type 2 diabetes: A UK population-based cohort study by obesity and cardiovascular disease status. Diabetes Obes Metab
Who: 8200 UK adults with type 2 diabetes initiating a GLP-1RA in primary care 2018-2022 (median age 60.7, 45% female)
PMID 41703773

Disagree 3

other primary study · 2025

“For GLP-1 receptor agonist users, the cumulative incidence of treatment discontinuation was 23.6% (95% CI 23.2, 23.9) at 1 year and 38.5% (95% CI 38.2, 38.9) at 3 years, when using a grace period of 90 days.”

Treatment discontinuation among users of GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors in a national population of individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetologia
Who: All patients with type 2 diabetes in the Swedish National Diabetes Register who filled a first prescription for a GLP-1 receptor agonist (or, in a separate cohort, an SGLT2 inhibitor) between 2017 and 2021; mean age 62.9, 58.8% men
PMID 40316732

other primary study · 2021

“Following a 45‐day gap analysis, the proportion of persistent patients at 1‐year postindex was highest for dulaglutide (85.0%), followed by liraglutide (75.5%), exenatide QW (69.4%) and lixisenatide (66.6%) (Table 2 ).”

Treatment persistence in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in clinical practice in Sweden. Diabetes Obes Metab
Who: Adults with type 2 diabetes in Sweden's National Diabetes Register initiating a first GLP-1 RA (exenatide QW, liraglutide, lixisenatide or dulaglutide), 2015-2017
PMID 33289287

trial or observed group · 2022

“Overall, 313 patients (15.6% of the total evaluable population) discontinued the index GLP‐1 RA during this period (dulaglutide, 12.9%; liraglutide, 18.4%).”

The Real-World Observational Prospective Study of Health Outcomes with Dulaglutide and Liraglutide in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes (TROPHIES): Patient disposition, clinical characteristics and treatment persistence at 12 months. Diabetes Obes Metab
Who: Adults with type 2 diabetes in France, Germany and Italy naive to injectables starting dulaglutide or liraglutide (mean age ~60, mean BMI ~34)
PMID 35876235

Point 2 of 2 Mixed

Side effects, mainly nausea and vomiting, are the main reason people stop

No study found side effects to be the main reason people stop. In 288 people who stopped within a year, nearly half stopped over cost or insurance, and 15% over side effects. A US survey of people who had stopped put high cost first (36.1%) and side effects close behind (33.3%). In the STEP 1 trial, 7.0% stopped because of side effects, mostly stomach problems, against 3.1% on placebo, a dummy shot.

Computed from 7 studies that test this point, each judged by two readers, in full. 5 more studies are waiting for a full read and do not count yet.

Agree 0

None.

Partly agree 5

other primary study · 2026

“The most commonly reported reasons for discontinuation were high cost (36.1%), side effects (33.3%), lack of insurance coverage (28.2%), and achieving a weight loss goal (26.1%).”

Discontinuation of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists among US adults: A national survey. J Manag Care Spec Pharm
Who: US adults who started a GLP-1 RA between January 2022 and June 2025 and later stopped, from an Ipsos online omnibus panel (42.3% aged 18-34, 23.8% with type 2 diabetes)
PMID 42504813

controlled trial · 2021 · landmark

“More participants in the semaglutide group than in the placebo group (7.0% vs. 3.1%) discontinued treatment owing to adverse events (mainly gastrointestinal events) (Table 3 and Fig. S9).”

Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med
Who: Adults without diabetes with BMI 30 or greater (or 27 or greater with a weight-related coexisting condition) at 129 sites in 16 countries; mostly female (74.1%) and White (75.1%), mean age 46
PMID 33567185

other primary study · 2025 · landmark

“Adverse effects and cost were the most frequent specific reasons for discontinuation documented in clinical notes (eFigure 5 in Supplement 1 ).”

Discontinuation and Reinitiation of Dual-Labeled GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Among US Adults With Overweight or Obesity. JAMA Netw Open
Who: US adults with BMI 27 or higher, with or without type 2 diabetes, newly initiating liraglutide, injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide, 2018-2023, in Truveta EHR data from 30 health systems
PMID 39888616

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pooled analysis · 2025

“The proportion discontinuing treatment due to AEs was 6.5% in the active treatment group and 2.9% in the placebo group, for an OR of 2.37 (95% CI: 2.04–2.75; Table 2 ).”

Comparative efficacy and tolerability of currently approved incretin mimetics: A systematic analysis of placebo-controlled clinical trials. Diabetes Obes Metab
Who: Adults with type 2 diabetes in phase 3 and 4 placebo-controlled trials of incretin mimetics (mean age 56.5, BMI 31.9)
PMID 40212008

other primary study · 2026

“Among the few users who had discontinued treatment, side effects were most often reported as a reason for stopping.”

Treatment Patterns and Experienced Effects of Semaglutide for Weight Management Among Adult Users in Denmark: A Community Pharmacy-Based Cross-Sectional Survey. Diabetes Obes Metab
Who: Adults redeeming a semaglutide-for-weight-management (Wegovy) prescription at 28 Danish community pharmacies, mostly women (75%), median pre-treatment BMI 35; first-time users followed up at 6 months
PMID 42443134

Disagree 2

other primary study · 2025

“In this cross‐sectional study of 288 patients who discontinued obesity pharmacotherapy with injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide within the first year, nearly half discontinued therapy due to high cost or insurance‐related barriers, whereas side effects (15%) and medication shortages (12%) were also common reasons for discontinuation.”

Reasons for Discontinuation of Obesity Pharmacotherapy With Semaglutide or Tirzepatide in Clinical Practice. Obesity (Silver Spring)
Who: 288 adults with BMI >= 30 at Cleveland Clinic who started injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide for obesity in 2022-2023 and stopped within the first year
PMID 41039650

other primary study · 2026

“Adverse events led to discontinuation in only 22 patients (10.4%), while other reasons for discontinuation included insufficient weight loss (10.9%), loss to follow-up (7.6%), cost (5.7%), stopping treatment after reaching desired body weight (5.2%), switching to another anti-obesity treatment (4.7%), and personal reasons of the patient (2.8%).”

Real-world semaglutide in obesity cohort: effectiveness, safety and persistence across sex, BMI, and prior GLP-1RA treatment. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)
Who: Adults with obesity (BMI 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related complication) without type 2 diabetes prescribed once-weekly semaglutide at two Italian obesity centres, 2024-2025
PMID 42582375

What else was said but not tested?

  • In older people, loss of lean mass is another reason for stopping

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