A recent study has found that the diabetes drug tirzepatide helps people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar and lose weight faster than other commonly used medications.
Researchers at the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust compared how quickly patients achieved their blood sugar goals when taking tirzepatide versus semaglutide or insulin degludec (iDeg).
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a long-term condition in which the body does not use insulin properly, leading to high blood sugar levels. Managing blood sugar is important to prevent complications such as heart disease, kidney problems, and nerve damage.
Tirzepatide is a new type of drug that works by mimicking two natural hormones—GLP-1 and GIP—that help regulate blood sugar and reduce appetite. It was approved for treating T2D by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2022.
In this study, researchers analyzed how long it took for patients taking different diabetes medications to reach healthy blood sugar levels. They found that those who used tirzepatide at doses of 5, 10, or 15 mg reached their blood sugar goals about four weeks earlier than those taking semaglutide (1 mg) and between 4 to 12 weeks sooner than those on insulin degludec.
Specifically, patients taking tirzepatide reached an HbA1c level of less than 7% in about 8 weeks, compared to 12 weeks for semaglutide and insulin degludec. To reach a stricter target of 6.5% or lower, tirzepatide users needed around 12 weeks, while those taking semaglutide needed about 16 weeks, and insulin users needed up to 24 weeks.
Beyond blood sugar control, the study also looked at weight loss. People taking tirzepatide lost weight significantly faster than those using semaglutide. Patients on higher doses of tirzepatide (10 and 15 mg) lost at least 5% of their body weight within 12 weeks, while those on semaglutide needed 24 weeks to achieve the same weight loss.
Even a modest 5% weight loss can improve many weight-related health problems, making tirzepatide’s faster effects particularly important.
Researchers highlighted that being able to achieve both blood sugar and weight-loss goals in nearly half the time compared to other medications could be a game-changer for people with type 2 diabetes. Faster improvements in health can reduce the risk of long-term complications and improve overall well-being.
The study was conducted by Dr. Adie Viljoen and his team, adding to growing evidence that tirzepatide is a highly effective treatment option for managing type 2 diabetes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about bananas and diabetes, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more health information, please see recent studies about Vitamin D that may reduce dangerous complications in diabetes and results showing plant-based protein foods may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
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