Tirzepatide for Weight Loss

Tirzepatide, the same active ingredient found in the GLP brand names, has entered the market for patients seeking treatment to better their health with a GLP-1 / GIP type drug: Tirzepatide is the first drug of its kind and has received significant positive acknowledgment as a game changer by many medical professionals in the broader field of endocrinology and metabolic health. Our compounded medication comes from very highly reputable compounding pharmacies located in the United States and registered in most states. MedShape only uses 503A and 503B compounding pharmacies that are federally regulated.

Find out what makes Tirzepatide,  such a promising advancement in the GLP-1 class and what clinical trials thus far can tell us about its ability to help with weight loss in patients with overweight or obesity. Read on to learn more.

Important Information & Disclaimer:  Compounded drug products are not approved or evaluated for safety, efficacy, or quality by the FDA.   Brand-name products (Mounjaro®, Zepbound®) have undergone FDA review; any questions about FDA approval should be discussed with your healthcare provider.

This drug is compounded by a licensed pharmacy in accordance with Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act, and may be dispensed only pursuant to a patient-specific prescription issued by a licensed practitioner following a medical evaluation. The FDA does not review or approve compounded medications, including Tirzepatide+, for safety, effectiveness, or quality. Compounded terzepatide has not been approved by the FDA for weight loss, though third-party research studies suggest potential benefits. Individual results may vary. This compounded formulation of tirzepatide is not affiliated with, endorsed or approved by, or intended to replace the FDA-approved products manufactured by Eli Lilly. Actual product packaging may appear differently than shown here.

MOUNJARO™ VS. OTHER GLP-1-TYPE DRUGS FOR WEIGHT LOSS: RESULTS OF CLINICAL TRIALS

Results of the recent clinical trials of Mounjaro™ have been making headlines even prior to the drug’s FDA approval, and for good reason: Tirzepatide has, in two separate studies, blown some of its competitors out of the water.

In a 2021 head-to-head trial, Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro™ was found to be more effective at controlling blood sugar and helping patients lose weight than Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic® (semaglutide). This SURPASS-2 trial took place over the course of 40 weeks and participants saw, on average, A1c reductions of up to 2.30 percentage points vs. their baseline. This was compared to a 1.86 percentage point reduction achieved with Semaglutide.

Perhaps even more interestingly, the same trial concluded that reductions in body weight were greater with Tirzepatide than with Semaglutide: Up to 5.5 kg more weight loss was seen with the former. Researchers hypothesize that this has to do with the drug’s unique dual action.

A summary published in the New England Journal of Medicine states, “In patients with type 2 diabetes, a single molecule combining the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor and GLP-1 receptor agonism may have a greater effect on glucose levels and weight control than selective GLP-1 receptor agonists.”

In the widely-publicized SURMOUNT-1 trial, Mounjaro™ was examined specifically for weight loss and the treatment of obesity. It did not disappoint: At week 72, average weight loss was 15.0% for those on a 5 mg dose, 19.5% for those on a 10 mg dose, and 20.9% for those on a 15 mg dose. This was compared to weight loss of only 3.1% in participants taking a placebo.

In an earlier study completed in 2018, doses of Lilly’s tirzepatide were pitted against dulaglutide—a.k.a. Trulicity®—and “showed significantly better efficacy with regard to glucose control and weight loss than did dulaglutide, with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile.” Side effects with tirzepatide were similar to those of dulaglutide and, in general, well tolerated.

Other trials of Mounjaro™ compared Tirzepatide against a placebo or against more traditional therapies, including two long-acting insulin analogs. In all cases, Tirzepatide at the highest dose of 15 mg/week has outperformed its opponents in A1C reduction and in overall weight loss.

Tirzepatide makes it easier to lose weight and stick to healthy habits. However, they’re not a “weight loss drug” on their own: GLP-1s must be used in combination with other tactics to support metabolic health and avoid weight regain. These tactics may include modifications to what you eat, how and when you exercise, and other healthy lifestyle changes.

MedShape’s Metabolic Reboot combines GLP-1 medication with evidence-based lifestyle recommendations—to help participants maximize their success. These Reboots include:

• Food knowledge and training
• Sleep to Lose tactics
• Exercise for your body
• Emotional health and wellbeing

By learning to eat more whole foods and fewer fast-digesting carbohydrates, improving sleep quality, participating in exercise that you actually enjoy, and managing stressors, you’re setting up both your mind and body for real results. With this foundation in place, GLP-1s can work even more effectively to reduce high blood sugar and help you lose weight.

When you belong to MedShape, you’ll complete a Comprehensive Health Intake that will be reviewed by our healthcare professionals, build a support program, including one on one weekly counseling, Customized tools, roles, and medication dosage to meet your individual needs.

Footnotes

• https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/results/NCT04255433
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23859800/
• https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2107519
• https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2107519
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30293770/
• https://diabetes.medicinematters.com/tirzepatide/type-2-diabetes/a-quick-guide-to-the-surpass-and-surmount-trials/18478154