Tirzepatide and Semaglutide: Learn About These New Weapons in the Weight Loss Battle

Losing weight is on a lot of people’s minds — over 40% of Americans say they’re overweight, and half want to slim down.

Sadly, losing weight is one of the most challenging health and wellness goals. Hormones, age, behavioral issues, mental health struggles, underlying conditions, even genetics — these are just some of the many roadblocks that stall weight loss.

Changing your diet and moving more might be all it takes for some people, but for you, it’s like bringing a knife to a gunfight.

Fortunately, our experts at the Nova Physician Wellness Center have all the ammunition you need. Here’s a closer look at tirzepatide and semaglutide, how they work, and how they can help you defeat the weight loss plateau.

Meet tirzepatide and semaglutide

Tirzepatide (brand name Mounjaro® and Zepbound® ) and semaglutide (brand name Ozempic® and Wegovy®) are prescription weight loss injections that treat type 2 diabetes to improve blood glucose control.

Currently, only Wegovy has FDA approval to treat obesity. However, tirzepatide is on the fast track for approval for the treatment of obesity because results from recent studies show it may lead to more significant weight loss than other weight loss injections.

Both injections work similarly, but tirzepatide has dual-action activity that may help promote better weight loss results.

How weight loss injections work

In the simplest terms, semaglutide and tirzepatide help you lose weight by suppressing your appetite, so you eat less. Here’s a closer look:

Tirzepatide

Tizepatide is the first in its class of drugs. It’s a GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist. GIP is a digestive hormone that stimulates the release of insulin.

When we inject it, the increased levels of GIP slow food movement through your stomach, helping you feel fuller longer. These medications also seem to decrease food cravings and the desire to eat by acting on the area of the brain that controls appetite.

Semaglutide

Semaglutide is in a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. These medications mimic the actions of GLP-1 hormone, a hormone your digestive tract releases when you eat.

GLP-1 triggers the production of insulin, which helps lower blood glucose in people with diabetes and activates the part of the brain that controls your appetite, signaling that you're full.

Can weight loss injections help me?

Semaglutide is FDA-approved for chronic weight management in people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher or a BMI of 27 or higher with weight-related health problems like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. 

Tirepatide isn’t FDA-approved for weight loss yet, but clinical trials show significant promise. The makers of this weight-loss injection expect FDA approval by the end of 2023.

Weight-loss injections work best with a balanced diet and regular exercise. Though results vary, studies show that people can lose about 12% of their weight by taking semaglutide and about 20% by taking tirzepatide over 16 months.

Weight loss is a battle, but we can help you win the war with these injectable treatments. Call our office today, or book your weight management consultation online.