Scientists from Yale and other research institutions have discovered that a drug originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes can also lead to significant weight loss.
This drug, called tirzepatide, is proving to be highly effective, not only for individuals with diabetes but also for those struggling with obesity.
Tirzepatide works by targeting two important hormones in the body that help regulate blood sugar and send signals to the brain when the stomach is full. When researchers first studied this drug for diabetes, they noticed that patients taking it were losing a lot of weight.
This unexpected outcome led them to test the drug specifically on people with obesity who didn’t have diabetes, to see if it could be a potential treatment.
In a recent large-scale study, the results were remarkable. Participants taking the highest dose of tirzepatide lost up to 21% of their body weight.
For many, this meant shedding 50 to 60 pounds—an amount much higher than what other weight loss medications have achieved in the past.
In comparison, another drug called semaglutide, which was approved last year for treating obesity, showed an average weight loss of around 15%. Even that was a big improvement over older diet drugs, which typically only led to about 5% weight loss and often had serious side effects.
Tirzepatide not only showed more dramatic weight loss but also seemed to be generally safer for most people.
The 72-week study did have some participants drop out—about 15% of those taking tirzepatide left the trial, with roughly a third of them citing side effects such as nausea and diarrhea.
However, 26% of people in the placebo group also dropped out, indicating that not all withdrawals were related to the drug itself.
In May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved tirzepatide under the brand name Mounjaro for treating type 2 diabetes. But the new findings suggest it could also become a major player in obesity treatment, opening up new possibilities for managing both conditions.
Researchers are now exploring how weight loss of 15% to 20% or more could change the way doctors approach diabetes care. Instead of just keeping blood sugar under control, they may begin aiming for complete remission of the disease.
This possibility became even more promising when a previous study on tirzepatide showed that about half of the participants who were in the early stages of diabetes achieved remission while on the drug.
This means that tirzepatide could potentially help people reverse the course of their diabetes, rather than just managing it long-term.
The study highlighting these results was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and led by Dr. Robert Gabbay and his team.
The researchers believe that as more evidence is gathered, tirzepatide could make a huge difference in the lives of people with obesity and those at risk of developing diabetes.
The potential of tirzepatide goes beyond just weight loss; it offers a new approach to treating a condition that affects millions worldwide.
With further research, this drug could revolutionize how doctors handle both obesity and diabetes, giving patients a chance for a healthier future.
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 health information, please see recent studies about a simple path to weight loss, and results showing a non-invasive treatment for obesity and diabetes.
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