A drug named tirzepatide, usually known for fighting off type 2 diabetes, has emerged as a new heavyweight champion against obesity.
A team of smart scientists from Yale and other places recently discovered this unexpected benefit. Let’s get the lowdown on this surprising find.
How Does Tirzepatide Work?
Now, you might be wondering, what makes this drug so special? Well, tirzepatide doesn’t play by the regular rules. Instead, it targets two hormones that control our blood sugar levels.
These hormones are also like messengers, telling our brain when we’ve eaten enough. People who were taking this drug for diabetes noticed they were losing weight too. So, the scientists decided to investigate this further.
The Weigh-in: Tirzepatide vs. Obesity
In their study, the scientists tested the drug on people who were obese but didn’t have diabetes. The results were even more surprising.
The ones who took the highest dosage of the drug lost an impressive 21% of their body weight. That’s like losing a whopping 50-60 pounds in some cases!
To put it into perspective, let’s look at another obesity drug called semaglutide, which was approved last year. It can help people lose up to about 15% of their weight.
And older diet drugs? They could barely scratch the surface with a meager 5% weight loss, not to mention their nasty side effects.
The Side Effect Showdown
Speaking of side effects, tirzepatide seems to have managed pretty well on this front too. The scientists found that for most people in the trial, the drug’s side effects weren’t severe.
About 15% of the participants decided to leave the 72-week trial, and a third of them did so because of gut side effects.
But guess what? Even in the group that received a placebo (or a dummy pill), 26% of people dropped out of the trial.
Tirzepatide Gets the Green Light
Given these impressive results, it’s not surprising that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro, for treating type 2 diabetes on May 13.
The Big Picture
The researchers believe that this discovery could revolutionize how doctors treat diabetes. Instead of just focusing on reducing blood sugar levels, they could aim for complete remission.
In a previous study, half of the participants with early-stage diabetes went into remission while taking the drug.
Dr. Robert Gabbay and his team published their groundbreaking research in the New England Journal of Medicine.
This discovery offers new hope for people struggling with obesity and type 2 diabetes, proving once again that in the world of science, the possibilities are endless!
If you care about weight loss, please read studies that hop extract could reduce belly fat in overweight people, and early time-restricted eating could help lose weight .
For more information about weight loss, please see recent studies that Mediterranean diet can reduce belly fat much better, and Keto diet could help control body weight and blood sugar in diabetes.
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