New diabetes medicine outperforms Ozempic in terms of weight loss, according to research
Ozempic, a popular weight loss medication, is set to face competition from tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro, which may be more effective for blood sugar control and weight loss, potentially approved by the US FDA this year.
Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide, is an FDA-approved prescription drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes. It works by targeting the brain's receptors for two hormones produced by the body after eating, GIP and GLP-1. Activating these receptors can reduce hunger and food intake while also assisting the body in managing insulin production. When the body's receptors for both GIP and GLP-1 are active, studies show a "synergistic action" that leads to higher weight reduction.
If the FDA approves tirzepatide for weight loss, it could become the best-selling medicine of all time. Weight loss can be difficult for people with diabetes due to the way their bodies respond to insulin, therefore tirzepatide could be incredibly beneficial for Type 2 diabetes patients who need to slim down.
According to a recent study, Mounjaro may be more beneficial than Ozempic for weight loss and blood sugar control. The researchers examined 22 randomized controlled trials involving 18,472 Type 2 diabetic patients. For at least 12 weeks, all patients self-injected either a 5-, 10-, or 15-milligram dosage of tirzepatide or a 0.5-, 1-, or 2-milligram dose of semaglutide. The investigation discovered that each of the three tirzepatide doses reduced A1C — a measure of blood sugar — more than the respective low-, medium-, and high-doses of semaglutide. Tirzepatide was also "better" than semaglutide for weight loss, especially at higher doses.
In two clinical trials, Mounjaro helped obese or overweight persons with Type 2 diabetes lose up to 15% of their body weight, or 34 pounds. However, the medicine has substantial adverse effects such as pancreatitis, low blood sugar, severe allergic reactions, renal difficulties, visual changes, and gallbladder problems. Patients must continue to take the medicine in order for it to work; otherwise, they would recover two-thirds of their previous weight reduction.
Bariatric surgery, which results in significant weight loss, has been around for years and hasn't moved the needle much, according to Li, who adds that many patients eventually gain the weight back. People must acquire appropriate eating habits in order to lose weight permanently, she argues.
“I really don’t think we can help our patients just with a prescription — giving it to them without doing the fundamentals,” Li tells TODAY.com. “It’s not realistic to think that from this point on, you can give yourself shots for the rest of your life without any problems.”Tirzepatide for weight loss was studied in the context of a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, Eli Lilly said. Semaglutide is also meant to be used in addition to eating less and moving more, according to the FDA.