The obesity It is not just an aesthetic problem. Increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, and even certain cancers.
Recognizing it as a disease would help advance new therapeutic strategies and access drugs that can play a decisive role in the cure that significant weight loss would entail.
And the researchers now present us with a drug that is born as the new great hope against obesity. Is called tirzepatide (marketed under the trade name mounjaro), and is already approved in the United States for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
According to the study, recently published in the scientific journal , Tirzepatide could reduce body weight by an average of 20%, if administered in high doses (15 mg).
That’s right and that’s how Tirzepatide is applied
It is an injectable medication that is applied once a week and that, in addition, controls triglyceride levels by 27% and achieves remission in 95% of the prediabetes state.
More than 2,500 volunteers who weighed more than 100 kilos have participated in this research.
They received Tirzepatide for 72 weeks, and the results, which have now come to light, have surprised the scientific community.
It not only acts against the signals of (thanks to the GLP-1 peptide), but also regulates body fat thanks to a component called GIP.
And as he emphasizes Dr. Louis J. Aronneinvestigator of this study.
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“Tirzepatide has shown very significant reductions in body weight, a milestone in the treatment of this disease that can be positive for doctors and patients.”
What’s more, it presents even better results than bariatric surgery (only indicated for patients with a BMI greater than 40), and fewer risks, since although it is a very practical intervention, it is not exempt from side effects.
You are not looking to lose weight but to gain health
He Dr. Christopher Moralesspecialist in endocrinology and member of (SEEDO), explains to , that
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“With these treatments, the aim is not to lose weight, but to gain health. Because a healthy weight lowers blood pressure, improves the prevention of diabetes, helps control cholesterol and can be decisive in the prevention of heart attacks.”
If Tirzepatide is approved as an obesity treatment, it would join the other injectable drugs already used in overweight patients.
Saxenda, a daily drug already authorized in Spain
In Spain we have Saxendaa drug that is administered daily and is indicated for people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30. Or 27, in the event that there are associated comorbidities (such as fatty liver or ).
Tirzepatide has shown very important reductions in body weight, a milestone in the treatment of this disease that can be positive for doctors and patients
It should be injected into the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm, at any time of the day, regardless of meals.
And it’s not the only one.
Wegoby: weekly injection close to approval in Spain
In the coming months, the approval in our country of another drug is expected: Wegovy. It is approved by the Agency for Medicines in the United States (FDA, for its acronym in English) and consists of an injection of (medicine for type 2 diabetes) that promotes the release of insulin to compensate for high blood sugar levels.
It’s really the same drug, but experts have decided to market it under the Wegoby name (and not as the one for diabetes) to prevent misuse by consumers. It is also presented in higher doses, due to the greater body weight of people with obesity.
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“It has already been shown that it has great benefits for type 2 diabetes, for weight loss and as a cardiovascular protector,” says Dr. Morales.
Wegovy works like a synthetic version of a natural hormone that acts on the centers of the appetite in the brain and intestine, producing a feeling of satiety.
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Patients receiving these injections have less desire to eat as they feel full and satiated.
“The main difference between these approved drugs is that Wegoby only has to be administered once a week. And it is more powerful in weight loss (compared to Saxenda, which only allows you to lose weight between 5 and 10%),” says the specialist.
There is a clear interest in trying to lose weight, since 80.6% of overweight people and 91.4% of obese people state that they have ever tried
All these medications (those already approved in Spain) are subject to medical prescription.
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“You have to put yourself in the hands of professionals, and for this reason we denounce from SEEDO that these drugs are for sale irregularly in second-hand buying and selling portals.” indicates.
“They are very personalized treatments” and are not valid for all types of patients unless they are controlled by a doctor.
Obesity in Spain, in data
According to the Spanish Obesity Society (SEEDO), more than half of the population is overweight or obese.
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“There is a clear interest in trying to lose weight, since 80.6% of overweight people and 91.4% of obese people state that they have tried to lose weight at some time”, highlights the SEEDO secretary, Sharona Azriel.
A survey published last March reveals that 42.6% of those consulted do not do any type of physical exercise or, if they do, spend less than an hour a week. In contrast, 44.8% practice some sporting activity.