Mounjaro leads to significantly more weight loss than Ozempic, study suggests

Deidre McPhillips, CNN

(CNN) — People taking tirzepatide injections mislaid much weight and were much apt to scope circumstantial weight nonaccomplishment targets than those taking semaglutide, according to a caller study.

Researchers from Truveta, a wellness information analytics company, analyzed physics wellness records for much than 18,000 adults, each of whom had overweight aliases obesity, who were taking these medications successful nan existent world betwixt May 2022 and September 2023. The findings were published Monday successful nan JAMA Internal Medicine aesculapian journal.

Both medications were effective — nan immense mostly of group taking either tirzepatide aliases semaglutide mislaid astatine slightest 5% of their starting assemblage weight aft 1 twelvemonth of use. But 82% of group taking tirzepatide reached this important objective benchmark, compared pinch astir 67% of those taking semaglutide. And group taking tirzepatide were much than doubly arsenic apt to suffer astatine slightest 15% of their starting weight than those taking semaglutide — astir 42% compared pinch 18% aft 1 twelvemonth of use.

Average weight nonaccomplishment was besides consistently higher among those taking tirzepatide complete time. After 3 months, group taking tirzepatide had mislaid astir 5% of their assemblage weight, connected average, compared to an mean 3% nonaccomplishment among those taking semaglutide. At six months, mean weight nonaccomplishment was 8% connected tirzepatide and 5% connected semaglutide. And by 1 year, mean weight nonaccomplishment was astir double for those taking tirzepatide — much than 11%, compared pinch astir 6% for those taking semaglutide.

Tirzepatide and semaglutide some mimic nan effects of nan gut hormone GLP-1, which stimulates nan body’s accumulation of insulin and slows nan transition of nutrient done nan stomach. GLP-1 besides signals nan encephalon to thief power appetite. Tirzepatide besides stimulates a 2nd gut hormone, called GIP, which whitethorn thief boost its effects.

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved versions of tirzepatide and semaglutide to dainty some type 2 glucosuria and obesity. Eli Lilly manufactures tirzepatide nether nan marque sanction Mounjaro for glucosuria and Zepbound for chronic weight management, while Novo Nordisk manufacturers semaglutide arsenic Ozempic for glucosuria and Wegovy for weight management.

The FDA approved higher doses of some tirzepatide and semaglutide to dainty weight loss, but nan caller study only looked astatine nan doses to dainty type 2 diabetes.

About half of nan group who were included successful this study had type 2 diabetes, while nan different half had nary denotation of a glucosuria test successful their wellness records and were apt taking these medications off-label for weight guidance astatine their doctor’s discretion.

When nan findings from this study were first released successful a preprint past year, Novo Nordisk told CNN that it wasn’t a adjacent comparison.

“The doses of semaglutide evaluated successful this study person not been investigated for chronic weight management, and location are nary head-to-head tests that person reported which measure Wegovy and tirzepatide,” a spokesperson said successful a statement.

According to nan caller study, individuals pinch type 2 glucosuria had little important weight nonaccomplishment than those without a test — but mean weight nonaccomplishment was still greater among those taking tirzepatide.

The researchers did not way mild gastrointestinal broadside effects specified arsenic nausea and vomiting, noting that these types of complaints mightiness not beryllium captured successful diligent records consistently. But nan consequence of much superior adverse outcomes — specified arsenic bowel obstruction, gasteoparesis aliases pancreatitis — were recovered to beryllium akin among those taking tirzepatide and semaglutide.

Along pinch broadside effects, group who did not suffer weight while taking these medications whitethorn beryllium much apt to extremity aliases move drugs, nan researchers say. Discontinuation was communal — much than half of patients stopped their curen earlier nan extremity of nan study — but rates were akin among those taking tirzepatide and those taking semaglutide.

The findings from this study align pinch objective proceedings results, but nan study authors statement that much investigation is needed to comparison nan effects that tirzepatide and semaglutide person connected different cardinal wellness outcomes, specified arsenic heart-related events.

CNN’s Brenda Goodman contributed to this report.

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