Obesity is the most common chronic medical disease. Rather than having a simple solution of eating less and moving more, treatment requires a comprehensive approach. The addition of the medication Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) from Lilly is a powerful tool in the treatment of obesity. Tirzepatide is one of a new class of medications called GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists. Tirzepatide is only FDA approved for diabetes, but its effect on weight is dramatic: 22% weight loss in the SURMOUNT-1 study. That’s 44 pounds in a 200 pound person!
This molecule reduces appetite in three ways:
- It stimulates the GLP-1 receptors in the brain, resulting in feeling full and dramatically reducing appetite.
- It stimulates the GIP receptor, which enhances the effect of GLP-1.
- It slows emptying of the stomach, so food stays in the stomach longer, so there is less food available for the addition of new food.
Treatment of obesity treatment requires several combined therapies. Medication is one of them. In patients with diabetes type 2 and excess body weight, Mounjaro is an excellent option. Nutrition management accounts for 90% of weight loss, and weight loss medications make following the meal plan easier. Lifestyle education and support help people gain long term maintenance tools. Exercise is also critical to keeping off weight and is a small contributor to weight gain. By combining these tools, patient often get dramatic and sustained weight loss.