More than 1 billion people worldwide live with obesity. Beyond the potential to negatively impact a person’s self-image and confidence, obesity is linked to several health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, liver disease and various types of cancers.
In many cases, losing weight can be challenging. Restricting calorie intake results in several acute changes, including increases and decreases in the appetite hormones ghrelin and leptin, which may lead to low energy and heightened hunger. Becoming active can also be a major change for some individuals, making the idea of weight loss potentially unachievable.
For certain people, weight loss drugs provide a more realistic and less challenging avenue to losing weight. Tirzepatide is one of many effective prescriptions on the market that can promote weight loss.
Tirzepatide is a single molecule that interacts with glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and GLP-1 receptor agonism to impact appetite and metabolic function. It is used as an antidiabetic medication in several countries and is approved for obesity treatment in the United States and the United Kingdom.
This medication is sold under two primary brand names, Zepbound and Mounjaro. These medications both use the same compound, tirzepatide, but the primary difference is that Zepbound is FDA-approved for chronic weight management, while Mounjaro is FDA-approved as a type 2 diabetes treatment.
For weight loss, tirzepatide is administered as an injection on a weekly basis for 16 weeks, and injections often continue afterward to manage weight loss as needed. Many patients take tirzepatide indefinitely to maintain their weight loss. While patient health, current weight and weight loss goals will determine a suitable initial dosage for each individual patient, the dosage gradually increases over time.
Patients will typically notice visible results within four to six weeks. One randomized clinical trial showed that patients using 15 milligrams of tirzepatide lost up to 15.7% of their body weight compared to patients on a placebo, who lost about 3.3%. This placebo figure is consistent with average weight loss totals associated with dietary changes.
Because tirzepatide is a GLP receptor agonist, it mimics the GLP-1 hormone that regulates appetite by suppressing hunger. As a result, patients will eat less food because they won’t feel as hungry. In addition, it mimics the GIP hormone that influences glucose levels in the body — patients tend to feel fuller even when consuming fewer calories. Delayed gastric emptying is another effect of tirzepatide that promotes feelings of fullness by slowing the rate at which food enters the intestines.
This medication may also increase energy levels. By interacting with the melanocortin-4 receptor, tirzepatide can promote energy expenditure. Increased energy levels can support an exercise routine to promote additional weight loss.
Further, tirzepatide is an effective alternative to bariatric surgery, a procedure that removes about 80% of the patient’s stomach to create a banana-shaped pouch. The weight loss results of tirzepatide are similar to those associated with bariatric surgery. While surgery is an effective weight-loss solution, patients must commit to pre-specified weight-loss requirements to become suitable candidates.
Surgical recovery time is another downside of bariatric surgery, which leads many patients with obesity to opt out of treatment. In contrast, there are no prior weight loss requirements to start using tirzepatide. When opting for weight loss medications, there is also no need to accommodate a four- to six-week recovery period, like with surgery.
The effects of tirzepatide do not rely on lifestyle and dietary changes. Even so, adopting a nutritious, balanced diet can enhance weight loss results. It is also important to remain active to support muscle growth and strength — even beyond weight loss, exercising has numerous benefits for the body and mind. Fortunately, because tirzepatide can reduce appetite and increase energy levels, patients may find it easier to commit to these changes and build healthier habits.
Generally, individuals over the age of 18 with obesity or a body mass index of at least 27, with or without type 2 diabetes, are suitable candidates for tirzepatide treatment. Additionally, patients must be comfortable administering the self-injections once a week on a long-term basis.
That said, it is always essential to consult with a medical professional before taking any kind of medication or making other significant decisions about your health.
Tirzepatide can effectively promote weight loss. However, as with most medical treatments, there are a few potential side effects associated with this weight management treatment. Common side effects can include:
These adverse effects tend to lessen as the body adjusts to the medicine. Limiting the intake of fatty and spicy foods, drinking plenty of liquids and slowly eating small portions are a few ways to manage these side effects.
Severe side effects are rare, although kidney failure, pancreatitis and a few other conditions have been reported. As a result, it is crucial to speak to your health care provider to evaluate the risks and benefits of tirzepatide in relation to your health.
Many health insurance plans only cover tirzepatide as a type 2 diabetes treatment — weight loss treatments can be considered cosmetic and not medically necessary, so health insurance will not cover them. Still, whether insurance will cover the costs of tirzepatide differ from one policy to the next. Contact your insurer to learn more about weight loss medication coverage and whether tirzepatide will be covered by your plan.
At Synergy Wellness, we offer various medical weight loss injections and other weight loss solutions and programs to help you achieve your weight loss goals. We will work with you to determine the most suitable treatment program and help you track your progress along the way. We have locations in both Bakersfield, CA and Clovis, CA.
We start each treatment plan with a tailored consultation. We understand that each patient has different weight loss needs. Following the initial consultation, one of our medical practitioners will perform a full-body composition analysis to gather essential information, including water retention levels, body fat and muscle mass totals and more. With this data, we can personalize a weight loss plan that fits your health requirements and objectives.
Interested in getting started with tirzepatide or a different approach to weight loss? Fill out our online contact form to start your weight loss journey today, or call us directly at 661-878-9100 to learn more about how we can support you. One of our team members will be in touch soon!
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