Rob Lowe isn’t exactly the target market for semaglutide weight loss medications, better known by brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy. The perennially ageless actor has always maintained a fit physique, even now as he approaches his 60th birthday.
However, the Parks and Recreation star recently shared his concerns about the longterm effects of taking these injectable medications.
“I see people who are taking all the new weight loss drugs and that’s great, and it’s really changed their lives,” Lowe told People in an exclusive interview. “But my concern always is, ‘OK, now what?’ What’s the plan for the longevity of everything?”
“I never ever talk about diets, I talk about lifestyle,” he added.
Indeed, while the drugs are useful for weight loss, those who stop taking semaglutide are likely to put the weight back on if they stop taking the drug. A study published in the Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism medical journal in April 2022 found that people who stopped taking semaglutide after regular use gained back an average of two-thirds of the weight they lost in a year.
“There’s a warning here: You take this drug and you lose a lot of weight,” Dr. Steven Heymsfield, professor of metabolism and body composition at Louisiana State University, told Verywell Health. “But you need to stay on it for the rest of your life. Are you willing to do that? And if you get off of it, the chances are really good you’re going to go right back to where you were.”
In either case, while he may not need semaglutide to help with his diet goals, Lowe shared that his biggest weakness is his sweet tooth. But he’s learned that moderation is the key—not necessarily a restrictive lifestyle.
“I’m trying to be even more disciplined now as I’m older just because as you get older, you need to watch what you eat even more than when you were younger,” he explained. “So I tried to cut sugar completely as my New Year’s resolution. And now I’m figuring, OK, that’s not sustainable for me, but how do I really watch my sugar consumption?”
Well, we know that he’s apparently ruled out turning to Ozempic to curb his cravings.