Peptide Spotlight: Weight Loss - Tirzepatide

Tirzepatide

(active ingredient of Mounjaro)

Primary Benefit: Weight loss, boosted metabolism, improved blood sugar, and reduced cardiovascular risk.

Dosing: Once a week. Half-life of Tirzepatide is 5 days, so effects become greater over time as the product builds up in your system.

Benefits:

• Boosted metabolism

• GLP-1 receptor agonist helps with the hunger hormone Ghrelin

• GIP receptors affects body fat tissue as well as regulate glucagon and insulin

• GIP action is unique to Tirzepatide and focuses on the pancreas

• Weight loss as well as significant improvement in Hemoglobin A1c and cardiovascular risk scores

• Improves metabolism in addition to decreasing caloric intake via increased satiety

• Controls appetite to the point where pleasure from food is lessened.

• Helps eliminate snacking and lessens the amount of food you eat

• Should be considered as an alternative to gastric bypass

Tirzepatide works by selectively binding to the GIP and GLP-1 receptors.   GIP may have a larger effect on body fat tissue in addition to its regulation of glucagon and insulin.  While GLP-1 activity is systemic in nature, GIP activity is primarily focused around the pancreas. We can’t be 100% sure how both GIP and GLP-1 aid with weight loss — all we know is that Tirzepatide does something to our metabolism in addition to decreasing our caloric intake via the increase in satiety.

Nothing else can control appetite so well to the point where the pleasure from eating food is taken away, which eliminates snacking and naturally lowers how much food you eat. Combine this with nutrition education and behavior modification, and the results will blow the minds of both obese and non-obese people.

Bottom line: You will eat less because you feel less hungry.  Tirzepatide affects the hunger hormone, ghrelin. If you would like to include intermittent fasting as part of your weight loss plan, this is a great time to start. You will find it much easier while on the peptide.

Dosage:  Start with 2.5 mg weekly for at least 4 weeks. If effects become less, go to 5 mg weekly.  While it’s possible to build up to 15 mg weekly, it usually isn’t desired or needed. Significant benefits and less side effects have been shown while staying at lower doses for a longer period.  If you experience side effects, decrease to the last dose when you felt good.  

Side Effects: Far fewer side effects are seen with Tirzepatide compared to Semaglutide. Hunger cessation is more obvious. Constipation, slowed gut motility, feeling overly full after a medium size meal, nausea, delayed gastric emptying are still possible. DO NOT take this peptide and then eat a huge meal later that day. Stick with smaller amounts until you are sure how it will affect you.  If you already have pancreatitis, you cannot take Tirzepatide and you should stop using it if you notice it developing (and seek immediate medical attention).

Want to learn more? The SURMOUNT 3 & 4 trials of Tirzepatide showed an average weight loss of 26% in about 18 months. Summary of SURMOUNT 3 & 4 trials

Here’s a great Reddit article diving into the real differences between the 3 weight loss peptides:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Mounjaro/comments/189eheq/comparing_the_big_3_semaglutide_tirzepatide_and/

Weight Loss Peptide Comparisons:

Semaglutide study participants lost about 15% of their body weight after six months on the medication.

Tirzepatide study participants lost up to 23% of their body weight.

Retatrutide study participants have lost over 30% of their body weight.

Weight Loss Peptide actions:

Semaglutide (Ozempic) is a single agonist; is it works on the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).  

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) is a dual agonist; it combines GLP-1 with a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).  

Retatrutide is a triple agonist; it acts on GLP-1 and GIP, as well as glucagon. Glucagon burns more energy and raises metabolism.