Recently there has been a lot of buzz regarding a newly approved weight loss medication called Zepbound. You may be wondering what it is and what its benefits are and how it is different from other injectable weight loss medications.

In November 2023, the FDA approved Zepbound, which is an injectable prescription medication that helps adults with obesity or excess weight (overweight) who have weight related medical problems, lose weight, and keep it off. The active ingredient in Zepbound is tirzepatide, which is the same active ingredient in Mounjaro. But Mounjaro is approved for people who have Type II diabetes.

How does it work?

Zepbound is considered a “dual agonist” because it targets 2 hormones- glucagon like peptide (GLP-1) and glucose dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) to help suppress appetite and decrease food intake. It also changes the rate of how the stomach empties food, so people feel fuller, faster and for a longer period.

Zepbound is a once weekly subcutaneous injection. Starting dose is 2.5mg once weekly injection that is increased in dosage every 4 weeks for a maximum of 15mg.

What is the effectiveness of Zepbound?

In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, the highest dose of Zepbound (tirzepatide 15 milligrams) resulted in a 22.5% reduction in weight, or 52 pounds, over the course of 72 weeks. Lower doses of 10 milligrams and 5 milligrams also showed weight reduction.

Another double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examined the effects of Zepbound (tirzepatide) on weight loss after participants were enrolled in an intensive lifestyle intervention program for weight loss and then either given Zepbound (tirzepatide) or a placebo at random. The group receiving tirzepatide in addition to lifestyle intervention had a weight loss of 26.6% compared with a weight loss of 3.8% for those given the placebo.

To be effective for weight reduction and management, Eli Lilly notes that Zepbound should be used in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

How is Zepbound different from Wegovy and Ozempic?

Zepbound is different from other injectable weight loss medication such as Wegovy because it is a “dual agonist” drug. Zepbound works by mimicking two hormones (GLP-1 and GIP) made by the intestines. These two gut hormones are essential to the body, and they improve feelings of fullness and insulin sensitivity and delay gastric emptying.

Ozempic and Wegovy, which are GLP-1 agonists that contain semaglutide. Because Ozempic and Wegovy are “single agonist” drug. This means they work on one hormone instead of two.

The combination of approach of the GLP-1 and GIP, seems to cause more weight loss than using a medication that activated only one hormone pathway.

What are the common side effects of Zepbound?

Some of the possible side effects of Zepbound, according to the FDA, include:

• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Abdominal discomfort and pain
• Injection site reactions
• Fatigue
• Allergic reactions (typically fever and rash)
• Burping
• Hair loss
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

**At Scottdale Weight Loss, we have experience with prior authorization approval for this drug and we use multiple suppliers to do our best to get you the real drug and make it affordable for you.

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