If HIV patients stop taking tesamorelin after six months, all the belly fat they lost comes right back — meaning they have to keep taking it to stay leaner.

Scientific Claim

Discontinuation of tesamorelin (2 mg subcutaneous daily) in HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral therapy leads to rapid loss of visceral adipose tissue reductions achieved over the first 6 months, indicating the effect is dependent on ongoing treatment.

Original Statement

“The initial improvements over 6 months in VAT were rapidly lost in those switching from tesamorelin to placebo.”

From study:Effects of Tesamorelin, a Growth Hormone–Releasing Factor, in HIV-Infected Patients With Abdominal Fat Accumulation: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial With a Safety Extension

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

definitive

Can make definitive causal claims

Assessment Explanation

The randomized switch design with within-patient comparison provides strong causal evidence that discontinuation reverses the effect. The language 'leads to rapid loss' is justified by the data.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Effects of Tesamorelin, a Growth Hormone–Releasing Factor, in HIV-Infected Patients With Abdominal Fat Accumulation: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial With a Safety Extension

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2010 Mar

When people stopped taking tesamorelin, the belly fat they lost came right back, meaning they have to keep taking the drug to keep the fat off.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Effects of Tesamorelin, a Growth Hormone–Releasing Factor, in HIV-Infected Patients With Abdominal Fat Accumulation: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial With a Safety Extension

Score: 81

DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e3181cbdaff

Similar Assertions

If HIV patients keep taking the injection for a full year, they lose even more belly fat inside their abdomen—about 18% total.

94%

If HIV patients keep taking tesamorelin for a full year, their dangerous belly fat drops by about 18% compared to when they started — but we don’t know how much better that is than just stopping the drug, because the placebo group didn’t stay on it for a year.

92%

A daily injection called tesamorelin helps HIV patients on medication lose belly fat inside their abdomen, while a fake shot doesn’t.

91%

If HIV patients stop taking the injection, the belly fat they lost comes right back quickly.

91%

A daily injection called tesamorelin helps HIV patients with a big belly lose nearly 11% of their dangerous internal belly fat in six months, while those getting a fake shot don’t lose any.

90%