Scientists from Yale and other institutions have recently discovered that a drug initially approved for treating type 2 diabetes is also highly effective in promoting significant weight loss.
The drug, called tirzepatide, has been found to help individuals lose a substantial amount of weight, even those who do not have diabetes.
Tirzepatide works by targeting two hormones that naturally occur in the body. These hormones play a crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels and sending signals of fullness from the gut to the brain.
Initially, researchers observed that people taking tirzepatide for diabetes management also experienced noticeable weight loss. This observation led them to explore the drug’s potential benefits for people with obesity who do not have diabetes.
In a recent study, the research team focused specifically on individuals struggling with obesity. The results were impressive: participants taking the highest dose of tirzepatide lost up to 21% of their body weight.
For some, this translated to a weight loss of 50 to 60 pounds, a significant reduction that surpasses the effectiveness of previous obesity treatments.
Another drug, semaglutide, approved last year for obesity treatment, had shown an average weight loss of about 15%.
Before that, earlier diet drugs typically resulted in only around 5% weight loss and often came with severe side effects. In contrast, tirzepatide not only leads to greater weight loss but also has fewer serious side effects for most people.
In the 72-week trial, about 15% of participants who received tirzepatide dropped out, with approximately one-third of those withdrawals due to gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and diarrhea.
Interestingly, 26% of participants who received a placebo also dropped out of the trial, which suggests that the drop-out rate was not solely due to the drug’s effects.
Tirzepatide was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 13 under the trade name Mounjaro for treating type 2 diabetes. However, the potential for this drug to revolutionize obesity treatment is becoming increasingly clear.
Researchers believe that losing 15% to 20% or more of one’s body weight could change how doctors approach diabetes treatment. Instead of merely managing blood sugar levels, there might be a shift towards aiming for total remission of the disease.
In fact, a previous study involving tirzepatide in diabetes patients revealed that about half of the participants who were in the early stages of their disease achieved remission while taking the drug.
This finding suggests that tirzepatide could be a game-changer not only for those battling obesity but also for those at risk of or currently living with diabetes.
The study showcasing these groundbreaking results was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and led by Dr. Robert Gabbay and his colleagues.
As more research unfolds, tirzepatide could play a pivotal role in improving the health and quality of life for millions of people struggling with obesity and diabetes.
If you care about weight management, please read studies about diets that could boost your gut health and weight loss, and 10 small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain.
For more information about obesity, please see recent studies about low-carb keto diet could manage obesity effectively and results showing popular weight loss diet linked to heart disease and cancer.
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