When comparing Tirzepatide vs Semaglutide for weight loss, both medications have shown significant results in helping people shed pounds. Recent research suggests that Tirzepatide may be more effective than Semaglutide for individuals struggling with obesity or overweight. If you're considering weight loss medication, consult your doctor to determine the best option for you.
Maintaining a healthy weight can be challenging, but it's crucial for a healthy lifestyle. While some medications can aid in weight loss, ongoing research seeks to identify the most effective options.
A study
Published in JAMA Internal Medicine
The effectiveness of semaglutide versus tirzepatide was compared in obese or overweight adults.
Researchers found that although both groups lost weight, semaglutide and tirzepatide were more effective in weight loss.
The research may help to develop clinical guidelines for the future.
Tirzepatide vs Semaglutide for weight loss, both medications have been approved by the FDA for certain individuals to help with chronic weight loss. Ongoing research continues to evaluate their effectiveness and how they compare. A recent study specifically examined the effectiveness of these two injectable medications, both of which are labeled for use in type 2 diabetics, to determine which results in greater weight loss.
The study was a cohort analysis involving people with obesity or those who were overweight, focusing on first-time users of semaglutide or tirzepatide. Researchers gathered data from electronic health records and linked it with third-party information, tracking changes in participants' weight at three-month, six-month, and one-year intervals.
The study included 18,386 participants, with an average age of 52, and 52% had type 2 diabetes. The average follow-up duration was 165 days, and slightly more than 50% of participants discontinued their medication. Researchers observed similar risks of gastrointestinal adverse reactions between the two groups. This study provides crucial insights into the comparative effectiveness of Tirzepatide vs Semaglutide for weight loss, helping to guide treatment decisions for those struggling with obesity.
The study concluded that participants lost more weight when taking tirzepatide. Around 82% of participants who took tirzepatide saw a weight loss of 5% or more. Semaglutide users were only 66.5% as successful in achieving this level of weight reduction.
Patricia Rodriguez, PhD MPH principal applied scientist who funded the study in part, highlighted the following highlights of the findings to MNT.
Patients on tirzepatide are over twice as likely to lose 10% of their body weight and three times as likely to lose 15% compared to those on semaglutide. In general, our study found that patients without type-2 diabetes lost more weight than those with type-2 diabetes. However, tirzepatide worked better in both groups.
The study's author, Nick Stucky MD, PhD, vice-president of Truveta Research, and practicing infectious diseases physician at Providence Portland Medical Center noted that:
While semaglutide was more effective, both patients experienced significant weight loss. We also observed no differences in the risks of GI adverse effects.
In addition to the effectiveness of the medication, other factors such as insurance coverage and availability will play a part in deciding what medication to start. Providers should consider these findings, along with other factors, when deciding which medication is best for each patient," said he.
The research has limitations. The propensity-matched group was largely white and female (77%), so future studies may include more diverse participants. Because the geographical distribution of the study sample was not representative of the United States, the results can't be generalized.
The study was also limited by its use of data from clinical electronic health records, which may have led to delayed times or under-reported adverse effects.
Researchers limited their analysis to those participants who had regular interactions with the healthcare system in the year prior to receiving their injectable weight-loss medication. The authors admit that there may have been some drug substitutions due to shortages in the study. This could have affected the results.
Unmeasured confounding is another possibility. Factors like unmeasured variables causing bias, differences in dosing, using the brand name as a proxy to target dose and missing data could also have affected results.
Researchers note that participants can observe weight loss, which could have led them to censor information and take action to stop or switch medications. The study only looked at medicines for type 2 diabetes. Future research could look at medications that are specifically labeled to help with weight loss.
The weight loss was also different between those with type 2 diabetics and those who did not. More research is needed to examine the differences between these two groups, such as participation in other weight-loss activities and other reasons.
Over half of participants stopped taking the medication, and the number was higher among participants who took tirzepatide.
There is much more to be learned about this medication class, including the long-term outcomes, barriers for equitable access, effects of discontinuation and trends in reinitiation. Also, what dose of each drug would be most effective?
She continued, "In fact we continue to examine trends in prescriptions, and dispensing in our quarterly GLP-1 Monitoring Report, which looks at trends over time, and could provide some insights into access and accessibility."
Rodriguez stated that the company's blog will have the most recent summary "[within] a month or two", and then the full analysis would be published on the pre-print server MedRxviv.
This study confirms what has been seen in other studies that compare the two medications. If possible, tirzepatide is the medication of choice for weight loss. Semaglutide only affects one receptor. It targets two. Insurance coverage is difficult to obtain, and seems worse with tirzepatide. Also, tirzepatide costs more."
Obesity or being overweight can increase your risk.
Other health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure or even cancer.
Weight loss can be achieved through a variety of strategies such as diet and physical activity. You can get advice from health professionals.
Ask your doctor if weight loss drugs like trizepatide and semaglutide are right for you.
The first step in getting these weight loss medications is to visit your primary care physician. The doctor will determine the best medication for each patient, as well as what risks and benefits are involved. They can also check if their insurance covers it. "They can also contact their insurer directly to determine coverage and benefits," Ali added.
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