Dr. Ahmed
If you are struggling with unexpected weight gain, being overweight, or obese, then you must have tried every strategy to lose some pounds.
Diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes are important, but in some cases, additional help is needed.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists belong to a new drug class, and they have shown promise in aiding weight loss.
Two prominent drugs in this category are Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus) and the newer Tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound). Tirzepatide is actually a Twincretin. It is a dual GLP-1 and GIP analog.
Using two GLP-1 analogs at the same time is not recommended. Also, Semaglutide and Tirzepatide cannot be taken together.
If someone is having trouble tolerating Ozempic or wants to achieve more weight loss, they can switch to Mounjaro, or vice versa.
Each person may respond differently to these medications, and clinical trials have compared Ozempic and Mounjaro.
For instance, a study in JAMA Internal Medicine has compared Tirzepatide and Semaglutide for weight loss
Tirzepatide vs. Semaglutide
This new study has investigated the weight loss effects of Tirzepatide and semaglutide in a real-world setting.
Researchers behind this analysis used data from Truveta, a massive healthcare claims database in the USA.
This database had anonymized info on the millions of patients regarding their diagnoses, prescribed meds, and lab results.
The research team focused on adult patients within Truveta’s data pool who had been diagnosed as overweight or obese and had received prescriptions for either Tirzepatide or Semaglutide.
By examining this real-world data, the authors tried to find out how these drugs perform in a broader patient population outside the controlled environment of a clinical trial.
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Tirzepatide Vs Semaglutide for Weight Loss: Results
The results were encouraging for those considering Tirzepatide. The study found that, on average, subjects taking tirzepatide achieved significantly greater weight loss compared to those on semaglutide. This difference was observed at all points measured:
Semaglutide Vs Tirzepatide at 3 months:
The tirzepatide group lost an average of 2.4% more body weight than the semaglutide group. This leads to a meaningful difference in weight loss experienced in a relatively short period.
For example, if someone in the semaglutide group starting at a weight of 200 lbs lost 3.6%, they would lose 7.2 lbs after 3 months.
In comparison, someone in the Tirzepatide group with the same starting weight loss of 6% would see a weight loss of 12 lbs after 3 months.
Semaglutide Vs Tirzepatide at 6 months:
The gap in weight loss between the two groups widened at 6 months. The tirzepatide group achieved an average of 4.3% greater weight loss compared to semaglutide.
This continued progress led to more weight loss being reached by those on Tirzepatide.
Semaglutide Vs Tirzepatide at 1 year:
By the 12 months, it was even more obvious that Tirzepatide was the winner here. The tirzepatide group achieved an average of 6.9% more weight loss compared to semaglutide.
This means that someone with a starting weight of 200 lbs could expect to lose an additional 13.8 lbs over a year with tirzepatide compared to semaglutide.
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There is a better chance of achieving weight loss goals
The study also showed the likelihood of participants reaching specific weight loss milestones. Here’s what they found:
Weight loss goal | Tirzepatide vs. Semaglutide |
| At least 5% | 76% more likely at all time points |
| At least 10% | More than 2.5x more likely at all measured intervals |
| At least 15% | Over 3x more likely to reach weight loss goals across all time points |
Semaglutide Vs Tirzepatide Side Effects:
The good thing is that both medications had similar rates of stomach-related side effects, which are common with GLP-1 receptor agonists.
These side effects can actually include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
However, the study did not mention how severe these side effects were, as some patients might have stronger impacts with one drug than with the other.
Also, the stomach ones usually get better over time as the body gets used to the medication.
Another important thing to note is that this study looked back at existing data (retrospective study) instead of doing a new controlled experiment.
It mainly focused on weight loss as the main result. However, we still need to study the long-term effects of other health measures.
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How to Implement These Findings?
This study gives us useful information about both of these medicines for weight loss.
We are aware that semaglutide can help with weight loss, but compared to Tirzepatide, it is not as efficient.
Still, you must choose the right drug for yourself by consulting a healthcare provider.
You should consider talking to a doctor about things like personal weight loss goals, medical history, and possible side effects so they can advise you about what is the best option for you according to your needs and situations,
The Road to Healthy Weight Management
GLP-1 receptor agonists like Tirzepatide offer a hopeful new way to manage weight, but they are not a miracle cure.
You must remember that losing weight is not about a single approach, as it needs consistency, dedication, and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle.
By working with a healthcare professional, you can see if GLP-1 receptor agonists like Tirzepatide could be the right choice to help you reach your weight loss goals.
