What is tirzepatide, a diabetes medicine that can help you lose weight?

*This text has been prepared based on scientific articles, information received from health institutions and organizations, hospitals and health professionals. Consult a doctor or pharmacist for better guidance on the consumption of any medication.

In May 2022, drugmaker Eli Lilly received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its injectable drug. diabetes type 2 called mounjaro, trade name tirzepatite.

In addition to being an effective drug in the control of type 2 diabetes, Tirzepatidine has been shown to be suitable for use in obesity and overweight control, according to studies.

The drug brings an innovative technology in which two incretins are stimulated, which improves the metabolism of circulating glucose in the body and, as a result, controls type 2 diabetes.

However, significant weight loss was observed in patients taking the drug, and new tests were conducted to understand how tirzepatide works for weight loss.

But what exactly is tirzepatid?

Tirzepatide is an injectable experimental drug that acts as an agonist (stimulant) of the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptors, which are responsible for glucose metabolism in the body.

Acting on substances produced in the pancreas and intestine, the drug can control and reduce circulating glucose levels in the blood, thereby controlling type 2 diabetes.

Studies on Tirzepatide.

During the SURPASS study, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of the drug for use by people with type 2 diabetes, there was another remarkable fact: weight loss.

Patients using injectable medication once a week, along with dietary changes and physical exercise, showed weight loss.

To confirm this observation, another study, called SURMOUNT-1, involved 2,539 adults with obesity and overweight, who did not have diabetes but had at least one health problem due to their weight.

In a 72-week program, people were divided into four groups who received different doses of the drug (5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg) and a control group who received a placebo.

Combining medication, a healthy diet, and exercise routine, the data showed participants had significant weight loss.

For higher doses of tirzepatide (15 mg), 91% of participants lost at least 5% of their total weight, compared to only 35% of participants taking placebo.

But it doesn’t stop there. At least 57% of participants using 15 mg of tirzepatide lost 20 to 30% of their total weight. For the placebo group, only 3.5% of people reached this percentage.

New obesity drug?

Obesity has become a worldwide problem, and drugs that help control weight only act on the brain to control neurotransmitters.

If this new drug is successful at other stages of confirming safety and long-term efficacy, it is a powerful tool to aid weight control as it directly acts on sugar metabolism and fat storage reactions in our body.

A new set of possibilities opens up in the treatment of obesity, avoiding possible comorbidities that accompany the condition, such as heart problems, high cholesterol levels, and even diabetes.

Although the drug has already been approved for marketing as an indicated drug for diabetes in the United States, use of tirzepatide in Brazil is still being analyzed by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa). Despite rumors that the debut could take place in 2023, there is still no certainty.

According to the pharmaceutical company that developed the drug, data from other stages of the study are scheduled for 2023, after which it will be possible to guarantee results with reliability and safety for users.