A new drug for treating diabetes has been hailed as 'life-changing' - could it do the same for obesity?
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Every now and again, an innovation comes along in medicine that presents a new, revolutionary way of treating an illness in a way that we never even thought was possible.
Take obesity for example.
It is estimated that around 12.5 million Aussies are obese according to data as of 2018 from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Should this trend continue, the Department of Health and Aged Care warns, over 18 million Aussies will be classified as obese by 2030.
To address the problem, the government launched Australia’s first ever National Obesity Strategy in March of 2022.
The effort aims to provide a multi-sectoral approach to obesity that focuses on prevention, but also offers support to already obese Aussies for a path to live healthier lives.
And now, there just might be a new drug that could potentially help people the world over: tirzepatide.
We first shared news of the drug in September 2022 when pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, which markets it in the US under the brand name Mounjaro, announced promising results against type 2 diabetes.
Reports say that tirzepatide was effective and quick in controlling blood sugar, which is key for people with the disease.
However, another reported effect was that it was able to suppress appetites of people who took it in trials.
But how? Well, in a nutshell, the drug mimics the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which enhances insulin production in the body and reduces blood sugar.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates the amount of glucose — also known as blood sugar — in a person’s blood.
However, while other treatments available on the market also do the same, tirzepatide was also found to copy another insulin-controlling hormone: glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).
In trials for tirzepatide, it was found that people lost as much as 21 per cent of their body weight on average at the highest doses compared to just 3 per cent for a placebo.
To put things in perspective, injection of semaglutide, another highly-touted weight loss drug, led to a 14.9 per cent average body weight loss in 16 months of treatment in late-stage trials.
Curiously, it is noted that experts aren’t exactly sure why targeting GLP-1 and GIP leads to tirzepatide’s astonishing effects. GIP was long thought to actually promote obesity.
Some even speculate that GIP is merely in itself great at mimicking GLP-1, and that the hormone ‘really doesn’t do anything’ in the context of obesity and diabetes.
Not all is rosy for tirzepatide though as the trials uncovered side effects especially at higher doses, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
Some people have also come forward to share their experiences with the drug.
‘I've heard people say that the solution is to eat (healthy food) when you're hungry, and stop when you're full,’ one person said online.
‘The thing is, I'm never full. I can eat until I physically can't eat anymore (not something I do regularly, of course), and as soon as my stomach has emptied a bit, I feel fairly hungry again. "Eat until you feel full" is literally a human experience I had never really had.’
‘On this drug, I finally know what people are talking about. I still like food, and I still get hungry. But it doesn't dominate my thoughts. I eat, and don't feel like eating again for hours.
‘I eat something that I'd normally easily eat like a big burrito or whatever, and I feel quite full halfway through with no desire to finish.
I'm steadily losing weight, with none of the usual preoccupation with hunger, ascetic adherence to a strict calorie plan, etc.
‘But above all, I feel like I must be experiencing what most thin people experience all the time. I'll be perfectly happy to take the drug for the rest of my life, though I do hope affordability improves.’
Another shared: ‘I started tirzepatide three months ago. I echo what others have said: I never understood satiety before this. Keeping keto takes excruciating willpower in comparison. I now know what it feels like to eat 3/4 of a normal dinner with balanced macros and not think about food till lunchtime the next day.’
‘There’s a big difference between maintaining constant vigilance against desire and having none.’
Efforts to understand and treat obesity have long been marred by the outdated assumption that a lack of willpower or self-control is one of the necessary conditions for developing obesity.
The advent of obesity drugs which stimulate appetite-controlling hormones and act through biological pathways rather than lifestyle changes indicates that there is more to the disease than controlling an insatiable appetite.
Recent research suggests access to healthy foods and a clean food environment plays an important role in obesity.
Variables such as genetic makeup and gut microbes also play a role in the development of the disease.
These alternative perspectives serve as a reminder that aside from lifestyle changes, biological and environmental factors are also important considerations in tackling obesity.
The efficacy of certain avenues such as drugs in aiding safe weight loss should not displace healthy eating and physical activity as important interventions which promote proper weight.
Mounjaro is listed as a prescription medicine under evaluation for treatment of type 2 diabetes by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
It remains to be seen if Eli Lilly will move to have tirzepatide approved for weight loss, though it is believed that it will do so in the US once trials wrap up in April.
In the meantime, it's important to keep in mind that the key to a healthy lifestyle is still via diet and exercise. Healthy eating and regular exercise are the foundation for any positive outcome.
That being said, if you believe that similar treatments could possibly help you reach your health goals, we highly recommend you to see your GP to discuss which one is best for you.
If you have time, you could also check out a couple of stories we have on losing those stubborn kilos:
Tell us in the comments section below!
Take obesity for example.
It is estimated that around 12.5 million Aussies are obese according to data as of 2018 from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Should this trend continue, the Department of Health and Aged Care warns, over 18 million Aussies will be classified as obese by 2030.
To address the problem, the government launched Australia’s first ever National Obesity Strategy in March of 2022.
The effort aims to provide a multi-sectoral approach to obesity that focuses on prevention, but also offers support to already obese Aussies for a path to live healthier lives.
And now, there just might be a new drug that could potentially help people the world over: tirzepatide.
Obesity is a growing problem for many Australians, and the solution often isn’t as simple as ‘not eating’. Stock Image Credit: Pexels/Ketut Subiyanto
We first shared news of the drug in September 2022 when pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, which markets it in the US under the brand name Mounjaro, announced promising results against type 2 diabetes.
Reports say that tirzepatide was effective and quick in controlling blood sugar, which is key for people with the disease.
However, another reported effect was that it was able to suppress appetites of people who took it in trials.
But how? Well, in a nutshell, the drug mimics the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which enhances insulin production in the body and reduces blood sugar.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates the amount of glucose — also known as blood sugar — in a person’s blood.
However, while other treatments available on the market also do the same, tirzepatide was also found to copy another insulin-controlling hormone: glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).
In trials for tirzepatide, it was found that people lost as much as 21 per cent of their body weight on average at the highest doses compared to just 3 per cent for a placebo.
To put things in perspective, injection of semaglutide, another highly-touted weight loss drug, led to a 14.9 per cent average body weight loss in 16 months of treatment in late-stage trials.
Tirzepatide was found in one study to reduce participants’ body weight by as much as a ⅕ after three-year trials. Stock Image Credit: Pexels/Andres Ayrton
Curiously, it is noted that experts aren’t exactly sure why targeting GLP-1 and GIP leads to tirzepatide’s astonishing effects. GIP was long thought to actually promote obesity.
Some even speculate that GIP is merely in itself great at mimicking GLP-1, and that the hormone ‘really doesn’t do anything’ in the context of obesity and diabetes.
Not all is rosy for tirzepatide though as the trials uncovered side effects especially at higher doses, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
Some people have also come forward to share their experiences with the drug.
‘I've heard people say that the solution is to eat (healthy food) when you're hungry, and stop when you're full,’ one person said online.
‘The thing is, I'm never full. I can eat until I physically can't eat anymore (not something I do regularly, of course), and as soon as my stomach has emptied a bit, I feel fairly hungry again. "Eat until you feel full" is literally a human experience I had never really had.’
‘On this drug, I finally know what people are talking about. I still like food, and I still get hungry. But it doesn't dominate my thoughts. I eat, and don't feel like eating again for hours.
‘I eat something that I'd normally easily eat like a big burrito or whatever, and I feel quite full halfway through with no desire to finish.
I'm steadily losing weight, with none of the usual preoccupation with hunger, ascetic adherence to a strict calorie plan, etc.
One person who claimed taking tirzepatide in an online forum noticed a vast difference in his appetite. Stock Image Credit: Pexels/Cottonbro studio
‘But above all, I feel like I must be experiencing what most thin people experience all the time. I'll be perfectly happy to take the drug for the rest of my life, though I do hope affordability improves.’
Another shared: ‘I started tirzepatide three months ago. I echo what others have said: I never understood satiety before this. Keeping keto takes excruciating willpower in comparison. I now know what it feels like to eat 3/4 of a normal dinner with balanced macros and not think about food till lunchtime the next day.’
‘There’s a big difference between maintaining constant vigilance against desire and having none.’
Efforts to understand and treat obesity have long been marred by the outdated assumption that a lack of willpower or self-control is one of the necessary conditions for developing obesity.
The advent of obesity drugs which stimulate appetite-controlling hormones and act through biological pathways rather than lifestyle changes indicates that there is more to the disease than controlling an insatiable appetite.
Recent research suggests access to healthy foods and a clean food environment plays an important role in obesity.
Variables such as genetic makeup and gut microbes also play a role in the development of the disease.
These alternative perspectives serve as a reminder that aside from lifestyle changes, biological and environmental factors are also important considerations in tackling obesity.
The efficacy of certain avenues such as drugs in aiding safe weight loss should not displace healthy eating and physical activity as important interventions which promote proper weight.
There is no singular factor at play behind a complicated condition like obesity. Stock Image Credit: Pexels/Alexa Popovich.
Mounjaro is listed as a prescription medicine under evaluation for treatment of type 2 diabetes by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
It remains to be seen if Eli Lilly will move to have tirzepatide approved for weight loss, though it is believed that it will do so in the US once trials wrap up in April.
In the meantime, it's important to keep in mind that the key to a healthy lifestyle is still via diet and exercise. Healthy eating and regular exercise are the foundation for any positive outcome.
That being said, if you believe that similar treatments could possibly help you reach your health goals, we highly recommend you to see your GP to discuss which one is best for you.
If you have time, you could also check out a couple of stories we have on losing those stubborn kilos:
- 3 Weight Loss Secrets from a Certified Nutritionist
- Trying to lose weight? Don't bother with calorie counting or 'diet' drinks, says health expert
- Top 11 Weight Loss Myths DEBUNKED
Tell us in the comments section below!
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