Weight loss is one of the biggest health problems in the US and COVID didn’t make it any better with most of us gaining about 2 pounds every week we were locked down during the pandemic. Mounjaro or tirzepatide has now been approved to improve blood sugar control in diabetic patients and the clinical studies show us that, like semaglutide, it will be instrumental in helping patients lose significant amounts of weight. 

There are many injectable medications given daily or weekly now that can help with diabetes and weight loss like Ozempic, Saxenda and Wegovy with a few notable differences.

1.     Tirzepatide is the weight loss big gun – a dual action medication that is giving weight loss results similar to bariatric surgery. It’s important to note that only Wegovy (semaglutide) is approved by the FDA for weight loss even though all of these medications are associated with weight loss. In studies, Tirzepatide has led the highest amount of weight loss with about a third of patients losing more than 25% of their total body weight at the highest dose (15 mg/week). 

2.     Both semaglutide and tirzepatide work by making you feel full faster, reducing food cravings and improving insulin sensitivity. They also slow down food traveling through your system (like built in portion control) making you feel less hungry. Importantly, tirzepatide can slow down not only food absorption but also medication absorption which can block absorption of important medications like oral birth control. Patients on tirzepatide should be sure to use barrier methods of birth control to avoid unexpected pregnancy or fetal harm. 

3.     Side effects are similar for both semaglutide and tirzepatide and are mainly gastrointestinal. If they experience side effects, most patients report queasiness or nausea with a small percentage of those patients reporting vomiting (which can be helped with a prescription drug for nausea), diarrhea, or constipation. Most of the side effects occurred during the time the patients were working up to the full dose and improved as the body acclimated to the medicine. 

These new diabetes medications are game changers in the world of obesity. Because they are so popular, they can be hard to afford and hard to afford. At Toyos Clinic, we have our own compounding pharmacy and can prepare both semaglutide and tirzepatide for appropriate patients seeking improved blood sugars or weight loss solutions. Call Toyos Clinic at 615.327.4015 or email ssmith@toyosclinic.com today to find out if one of these medicines is right for you.