Mounjaro for weight loss, does it work? How much will I lose?
Does Mounjaro work for weight loss?
Yes, Mounjaro's active ingredient tirzepatide has helped with weight loss in adults with obesity in a 72-week clinical trial (SURMOUNT-1, NCT04184622).
Is Mounjaro (tirzepatide) approved for weight loss?
Mounjaro is not approved for weight loss by the FDA. Mounjaro is an FDA-approved medicine used to improve blood sugar (glucose) levels in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus when used together with diet and exercise.
The active ingredient tirzepatide is approved for weight loss but under the brand name Zepbound. Zepbound has the same active ingredient as Mounjaro and is made by the same company.
How much weight is lost on Mounjaro (tirzepatide)?
Patients on Mounjaro (tirzepatide) 5mg weekly lost 16.1 kg (35.5 lb) on average after 72 weeks. For Mounjaro 10mg weekly dose, the average weight loss was 22.2 kg (48.9 lb), and for Mounjaro 15mg weekly dose average weight loss was 23.6 kg (52.0 lb) over 72 weeks. Patients who used a placebo lost 2.4 kg (5.3 lb) over the 72 weeks. (SURMOUNT-1 Clinical Trials, NCT04184622) *
When was Zepbound approved by the FDA for weight loss?
Zepbound (tirzepatide) for weight loss has received the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treating adults with obesity or overweight with weight-related health conditions on November 8, 2023.
How does Mounjaro help with weight loss?
Mounjaro helps with weight loss by decreasing food intake and slowing down how fast food travels through your digestive tract (called gastric emptying). This may help you to feel fuller for a longer period of time and reduce how much food you eat. Studies show this action may occur in the brain.
- Mounjaro is a single molecule that activates glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors. GIP and GLP-1 are both natural incretin hormones.
- GIP has been shown to decrease how much you eat and increase your energy expenditure, which results in weight loss. When combined with a GLP-1 receptor agonist, this may result in greater positive effects on blood glucose and body weight.
- Mounjaro also slows the movement of food from the stomach into the small intestine. As a result, you may feel full more quickly and for a longer period of time, so you eat less.
Losing weight can improve how you respond to the insulin that your body releases from your pancreas, which helps lower your blood sugar.
Related Questions
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Does Mounjaro cause stomach side effects?
Stomach side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, and decreased appetite, are the most common side effects reported in studies with Mounjaro.
Side effects reported in at least 5% of patients include:
- nausea
- diarrhea
- decreased appetite
- vomiting
- constipation
- indigestion (heartburn)
- stomach (abdominal) pain
While these side effects may be temporary in some patients, they may also affect your appetite.
- In studies, stomach side effects were reported in 37.1% to 43.6% of patients and appeared to be dose-related, compared to 20.4% of patients receiving a placebo (inactive agent).
- The percentage of patients receiving Mounjaro who discontinued treatment due to stomach side effects ranged from 3% to 6.6% of patients receiving Mounjaro, compared to 0.4% in the placebo group.
Does Insurance or Medicare cover Mounjaro?
Yes, some insurance companies may cover your prescription for Mounjaro, but this will vary based on your insurance plan and drug benefits. Your insurance company may cover Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes, but may not cover Mounjaro for weight loss. To find out if your drug plan will pay for Mounjaro, contact your drug benefit company and ask if Mounjaro is on their formulary, and which conditions it covers.
Mounjaro $25 Coupon
Eli Lilly the manufacturer of Mounjaro offers a $25 Savings Card that can lower the cost to $25 for up to a 3-month supply, if you have commercial prescription insurance and a documented diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Patients covered under government insurance such as Medicare or Medicaid do not qualify for the $25 savings card. To check If you're eligible for the savings program click the link below.
Click here: Mounjaro Price Guide and Savings Coupons
This is not all the information you need to know about Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your doctor’s directions. Review the full Mounjaro information and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.
*Individual results may vary.
References
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide) prescribing information. Eli Lilly. Indianapolis, IN. Accessed Oct 11, 2022 at https://uspl.lilly.com/mounjaro/mounjaro.html#pi
- GLP-1 agonists: Diabetes drugs and weight loss. Mayo Clinic. Drugs.com. Accessed Oct 11, 2022 at https://www.drugs.com/mcf/glp-1-agonists-diabetes-drugs-and-weight-loss
- Mounjaro.com. Eli Lilly. Accessed Oct 11, 2022 at https://www.mounjaro.com/
- Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity Accessed Nov 3, 2023 at https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038
- Zepbound FDA Product Label https://pi.lilly.com/us/zepbound-uspi.pdf
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