
A new trial demonstrates the power of the diabetes drug Mounjaro in fighting obesity, helping folks who used the medication lose about 60 pounds. “In this study, people who added tirzepatide [Mounjaro] to diet and exercise saw greater, longer-lasting weight reduction than those taking placebo,” Dr. Jeff Emmick, senior vice president of product development at drug maker Eli Lilly, said in a company news release. “While intensive lifestyle intervention is an important part of obesity management, these results underscore the difficulty some people face maintaining weight loss with diet and exercise alone.” While approved since May 2022 to treat diabetes, Mounjaro has been used “off-label” to treat obesity. Tirzepatide works by targeting two hormones that regulate appetite and a feeling of fullness. The difference between Mounjaro and other popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy is that Mounjaro targets two hormones while the others target one. The Mounjaro study included 800 overweight and obese people who also had a weight-related health complication but did not have diabetes. Study participants weighed about 241 pounds to start and had a body-mass index of approximately 38. More than 200 participants left trial after three months of intensive diet and exercise for varying reasons, including failure to lose weight. Meanwhile, researchers randomized the other 600 to receive tirzepatide or a placebo via weekly injections for about 16 months. Nearly… read on > read on >