People taking tirzepatide injections lost more weight and were more likely to reach specific weight loss targets than those taking semaglutide, according to a new study.
Researchers from Truveta, a health data analytics company, analyzed electronic health records for more than 18,000 adults, all of whom were overweight or obese and were taking these medications in the real world between May 2022 and September 2023. The findings were published Monday in the JAMA Internal Medicine medical journal.
Both medications were effective — the vast majority of people taking either tirzepatide or semaglutide lost at least 5% of their starting body weight after one year of use. But 82% of people taking tirzepatide reached this important clinical benchmark, compared with about 67% of those taking semaglutide. And people taking tirzepatide were more than twice as likely to lose at least 15% of their starting weight than those taking semaglutide — about 42% compared with 18% after one year of use.
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People taking tirzepatide injections like Mounjaro lost more weight and were more likely to reach specific weight loss targets than those taking semaglutide like Ozempic.
Average weight loss was also consistently higher among those taking tirzepatide over time. After three months, people taking tirzepatide had lost about 5% of their body weight, on average, compared to an average 3% loss among those taking semaglutide. At six months, average weight loss was 8% on tirzepatide and 5% on semaglutide. And by one year, average weight loss was nearly double for those taking tirzepatide — more than 11%, compared with about 6% for those taking semaglutide.
Tirzepatide and semaglutide both mimic the effects of the gut hormone GLP-1, which stimulates the body’s production of insulin and slows the passage of food through the stomach. GLP-1 also signals the brain to help control appetite. Tirzepatide also stimulates a second gut hormone, called GIP, which may help boost its effects.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved versions of tirzepatide and semaglutide to treat both type 2 diabetes and obesity. Eli Lilly manufactures tirzepatide under the brand name Mounjaro for diabetes and Zepbound for chronic weight management, while Novo Nordisk manufacturers semaglutide as Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for weight management.
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