Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a once-weekly injectable medicine that helps individuals with sort 2 diabetes handle their blood sugar ranges.
It was first accredited by the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2022 and is shortly gaining reputation to assist make diabetes administration simpler.
One of many unintended effects of the medicine is weight reduction. So, can Mounjaro provide help to drop some weight? This text will clarify the whole lot you could know.
Desk of Contents
What’s Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is the primary drugs in a drug class generally known as GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists. It’s FDA-approved to enhance blood sugar management in individuals with sort 2 diabetes together with a nutritious diet and train.
Need to study extra? Learn: Every thing You Have to Know About Mounjaro.
Can Mounjaro provide help to drop some weight?
Sure. And actually, the FDA accredited a drug known as Zepbound for weight reduction based mostly on scientific analysis supporting this final result. (Zepbound is identical drugs as Mounjaro on the identical power, however with a distinct title to be used as a weight-loss therapy.)
The FDAβs approval of the drugs was based mostly totally on the outcomes from two trials.
Each research evaluated the drugβs effectiveness for weight reduction and upkeep together with a reduced-calorie eating regimen and a rise in bodily exercise in obese or overweight adults with a minimum of one weight-related situation.
The trials seemed on the outcomes after 72 weeks of taking the drugs at doses of both 5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg as soon as weekly. On the finish of the examine interval, contributors who had obtained any dose of the medicine misplaced a major quantity of weight in comparison with those that had obtained a placebo (inactive therapy).
How a lot weight will you lose taking Mounjaro/Zepbound?
The bigger of the trials enrolled adults with out diabetes. The beginning common physique weight was 231 kilos (105 kilograms) and the typical body-mass index (BMI, a measure of weight relative to peak) was 38. Those that obtained 15 mg, the very best accredited dose, misplaced a mean of 18% of their physique weight in comparison with these taking a placebo.
For the second trial, in adults with sort 2 diabetes, the beginning common physique weight was 222 kilos (101 kilograms), with a mean BMI of 36. On the finish of the trial, these taking 15 milligrams of the drugs misplaced a mean of 12% of their physique weight in comparison with these taking a placebo.
Who shouldn’t take this medicine?
It’s best to solely take these medicines in case your physician has prescribed them for you.
Mounjaro is FDA-approved to deal with individuals with sort 2 diabetes. Zepbound is accredited to deal with adults with weight problems (a BMI of 30 or extra) or obese (a BMI of 27 or extra) with a minimum of one weight-related situation (equivalent to sort 2 diabetes, hypertension, or excessive ldl cholesterol).
Mounjaro will not be FDA-approved for individuals with sort 1 diabetes, however your physician could recommend utilizing it off-label (in a way not formally accredited by the FDA) in case youβre coping with excessive blood sugar ranges and low insulin sensitivity.
Neither drug is advisable for people who find themselves pregnant. You’ll have to communicate together with your healthcare supplier and cease the medicine in case you are pregnant or attempting to turn out to be pregnant.
Don’t use both drugs in case you or any of your loved ones members have ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or when you have A number of Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome sort 2 (MEN 2).
Don’t use Mounjaro or Zepbound in case you are allergic to tirzepatide or any of the opposite elements within the drugs.
Inform your physician all drugs that you simply use earlier than beginning therapy with both of those medicine.
See the prescribing data for Mounjaro and Zepbound for full details about who ought to use and keep away from these drugs.
Find out about potential unintended effects in: Mounjaro Facet Results.
Can you are taking Mounjaro or Zepbound and different drugs on the identical time?
It will depend upon what different drugs youβre taking.
Typically talking, you may take Mounjaro and Zepbound with drugs like metformin and/or insulin, in case youβve been prescribed all the drugs concurrently. At all times inform your healthcare supplier about all the medicines youβre taking.
You shouldn’t mix Mounjaro with GLP-1 drugs. GLP-1 receptor agonists embody:
At all times speak together with your physician in case youβre uncertain of how any drugs you are taking will work together with any new drugs youβre contemplating taking.
How a lot do you are taking for weight reduction?
There isn’t any advisable dose for weight reduction as a result of Mounjaro isnβt explicitly accredited for weight reduction by the FDA.
For Zepbound, accessible doses are 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg taken by injection as soon as weekly, with 15 mg being the utmost dose.
Speak together with your physician if you wish to drop some weight. Along with Zepbound, there are different diabetes remedies particularly accredited by the FDA for weight reduction.
Β Learn extra: Mounjaro Dosing Information.
How lengthy does it take to drop some weight on Mounjaro?
Taking Mounjaroβs weight-loss counterpart Zepbound is not going to achieve success in a single day.
Any weight reduction skilled whereas taking Zepbound can even require way of life modifications, equivalent to modifying your eating regimen and growing bodily exercise.
Many research wanting on the efficacy of Zepbound for weight reduction have been performed over many months, with the trials used as the premise for the FDA approval lasting almost a 12 months and a half.
Speak together with your physician in case you want to drop some weight. They’ll present suggestions for sustainable, lasting weight reduction.
Why am I not dropping pounds on Mounjaro or Zepbound?
In case you are not dropping pounds when taking this medicine, there are a variety of attainable widespread culprits.
You could have merely hit a weight-loss plateau as your physique slows its metabolism and adjusts to a brand new set level. Over time, you could start to drop some weight once more.
You is probably not taking the advisable dose, or you could not have made enough modifications to your way of life to assist help the burden loss promoted by the medicine.
And for some individuals, the drug could merely not be an efficient instrument for weight reduction and administration. Not each drugs will work for each individual.
Is Ozempic or Mounjaro higher for weight reduction?
Ozempic and Mounjaroβs weight-loss counterpart Zepound each perform equally and might help with weight reduction.
Though Ozempic will not be FDA-approved as a weight-loss drug, each medicines suppress urge for food and gradual digestion.
Moreover, each drugs assist to stabilize blood sugar ranges β which causes many individuals to drop some weight whereas taking both one.
Nevertheless, latest research present that Mounajaro/Zepbound causes extra weight reduction than Ozempic in people who find themselves overweight.
The typical trial participant misplaced 12 kilos extra when taking Mounjaro/Zepbound than Ozempic on the most weekly dosage of 15 mg.
Can I take Mounjaro or Zepbound if I donβt have diabetes?Β
Mounjaro is simply FDA-approved for individuals with sort 2 diabetes. Zepbound, nevertheless, is accredited in obese or overweight adults with a minimum of one weight-related situation.
Moreover, many drugs for blood sugar management and weight reduction are prescribed by physicians off-label.
In case your physician has decided that you’re a candidate for Mounjaro, they could prescribe you the medicine off-label to deal with situations like:
By no means take a medicine that isn’t prescribed for you, and speak to your physician earlier than beginning any medicine.
Remaining ideas
Mounjaro represents a major growth within the therapy of sort 2 diabetes and weight administration. Its latest FDA approval beneath the model title Zepbound for weight reduction highlights its effectiveness on this space.
As with every diabetes medicine, itβs essential to make use of Mounjaro (and Zepbound) rigorously and beneath medical supervision, contemplating the dosage necessities and potential unintended effects.
Particular person responses can fluctuate, and itβs important to debate the suitability of those medicines in your private well being wants together with your healthcare staff.
Recommended subsequent article: Every thing You Have to Know About Mounjaro.
