Scientists from Yale and other institutions have discovered that tirzepatide, a drug approved to treat type 2 diabetes, may also be highly effective for weight loss in people with obesity.
This medication, which helps control blood sugar levels, also acts on hormones that signal feelings of fullness to the brain.
When used by patients with diabetes, it was noted that tirzepatide led to significant weight loss, sparking researchers’ interest in its potential for obesity treatment.
In a recent study, researchers focused on individuals who were obese but did not have diabetes, and the results were even more promising. Participants who took the highest of the three doses in the study lost up to 21% of their body weight—some shedding as much as 50-60 pounds.
This is a significant improvement over another recently approved weight loss drug, semaglutide, which generally results in around 15% weight loss. Older weight loss drugs typically led to only about 5% weight reduction and often came with serious side effects.
For most people in the tirzepatide study, side effects were manageable, and many participants were able to complete the 72-week trial.
However, around 15% of those on the drug dropped out, with a third of these due to digestive side effects like nausea. Interestingly, a similar dropout rate was seen among participants receiving a placebo, with 26% leaving the study.
Tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on May 13 for treating type 2 diabetes. Researchers believe its ability to promote significant weight loss could change the way diabetes is managed.
Rather than only focusing on lowering blood sugar, doctors could potentially aim for full remission of the disease through weight reduction. In an earlier study on people with diabetes, tirzepatide led to remission in about half of those who had been recently diagnosed.
This breakthrough study, led by Dr. Robert Gabbay and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that tirzepatide may open new doors for treating obesity and diabetes.
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