GLP-1 Plateau: Why Weight Loss Stalls
Results vary a lot by dose and by person. In SURMOUNT-1, the average loss ran from 15% on tirzepatide 5 mg weekly to 20.9% on tirzepatide 15 mg weekly, against 3.1% on placebo.
- Average loss, top dose
- 20.9%
- On placebo
- 3.1%
- Trial length
- 72 weeks
- Trial
- SURMOUNT-1
Weight loss and half-life overview
Measured in days, half-life tells you how long your body takes to clear half a dose. The figure comes from section 12.3 in every FDA label.
Body weight percentage. The trials differed in their doses and lengths, so compare each result with its own placebo on the relevant page.
GLP-1 plateau: the numbers first
Each GLP-1 appears at its highest dose in the main weight trial. Different trials enrolled different people.
| Trial | Dose group | Average weight lost | Placebo or comparison | Weeks | Who was in it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEP 1 | Semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly | 14.9% | 2.4% | 68 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes |
| OASIS 4 | Wegovy pill 25 mg daily | 13.6% | 2.4% | 64 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes |
| SURMOUNT-1 | Tirzepatide 15 mg weekly | 20.9% | 3.1% | 72 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes |
| SURMOUNT-2 | Tirzepatide 15 mg weekly | 14.7% | 3.2% | 72 | Adults with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes |
| SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes | Liraglutide 3.0 mg daily | 7.4% | 3% | 56 | Adults with obesity or overweight but no type 2 diabetes |
| ATTAIN-1 | Foundayo 17.2 mg daily | 11.1% | 2.1% | 72 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes |
| ATTAIN-2 | Foundayo 17.2 mg daily | 9.6% | 2.5% | 72 | Adults with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes |
| STEP 2 | Semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly | 9.6% | 3.4% | 68 | Adults with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes |
Sources: STEP 1 (FDA label (DailyMed)), SURMOUNT-1 (FDA label (DailyMed)), SURMOUNT-2 (PubMed), SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (FDA label (DailyMed)), ATTAIN-1 (FDA label (DailyMed)), STEP 2 (PubMed)
What causes the stall, and what helps
- Check which step of the dose you are on. In every trial above, people taking lower doses lost less weight.
- Over the past month, count doses you missed and doses you took late
- Note what you eat and drink for a few days. Liquid calories and grazing add up as your portions get smaller.
- Eat protein at every meal and continue strength exercise. This way, most of what you lose is fat.
- Look at your sleep and stress, because both affect appetite.
- Ask your pharmacist whether any other medicines you take can cause weight gain.
- If your progress has stalled for months, ask your prescriber about switching medicines and about a thyroid or blood sugar check.