Obesity and metabolic disorders go hand-in-hand, with excess body weight creating a high risk for hypertension, chronic systemic inflammation and type 2 diabetes. Metabolic disease is driven by lifestyle factors that can easily be modified and controlled, yet many patients struggle to make the changes necessary to reverse metabolic conditions.
Tirzepatide is a prescription medication originally developed to help manage type 2 diabetes. When patients on the drug were able to lose weight, drug manufacturers approached the FDA to obtain approval of tirzepatide for weight loss.
Learn about the mechanisms and efficacy of tirzepatide for weight loss, and whether you meet the criteria for tirzepatide treatment.
Tirzepatide Mechanisms of Action
Tirzepatide helps with weight loss via two distinct mechanisms of action.
- Tirzapatide includes a glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist (GLP-1RA), a hormone that stimulates insulin production in the pancreas. Insulin helps to usher glucose into your cells to be used for energy metabolism. In diabetes melitus the body’s cells become insulin-resistant, forcing glucose to remain in your circulatory system and increasing your blood glucose levels. People with Type 1 diabetes and some people in advanced stages of Type 2 diabetes inject insulin directly to help metabolize blood glucose. GLP-1 triggers the body’s own mechanisms to boost insulin production and secretion. It also works as an appetite suppressant by delaying gastric emptying and sending fullness signals to the brain.
- Tirzapatide also includes a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide – a hormone that stimulates insulin release and regulates glucagon levels. Glucagon is a peptide hormone secreted from the pancreas that stimulates glucose production. Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptors are found in abundance in fat cells. The hormone enhances the release of fatty lipids and increases the sensitivity of fat cells to insulin, potentially blocking fat storage in the visceral organs.
Semaglutide vs Tirzepatide for Weight Loss
It is important to understand the differences between semaglutide and tirzepatide when deciding with your doctor which drug is a better choice for your weight loss journey.
Key differences between semaglutide and tirzepatide include:
- Mechanisms of action: Like tirzepatide, semaglutide includes a glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist (GLP-1RA), but does not share tirzepatide’s dual action via a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide.
- Cost: Research over the course of a year (52 weekly injections) found that total cost per 1% of body weight loss came to $683.49 for tirzepatide, compared with $1350.97 for semaglutide. In other words, a person weighing 300 pounds would pay about $683.49 to lose 3 pounds with tirzepatide, compared to $1350.97 per 3 pounds of weight loss with semaglutide.
- Eligibility: To qualify for a tirzepatide prescription, you must be overweight or obese, and/or have type 2 diabetes.
- Comorbidities: The presence of other metabolic conditions may help determine which drug is best for you. For example, tirzepatide may be a better choice for patients at risk for cardiovascular disease.
- Side effects: Tiraepatide may have unknown side effects for patients without type 2 diabetes. Other potentially harmful side effects should be considered.
- Delivery method: Tirzepatide is administered once weekly via subcutaneous (SQ) injection, with incremental dosage adjustments as needed. Semaglutide is available in both oral tablet and injectable forms.
- Overall effectiveness: Although research is ongoing, the dual action of tirzepatide is expected to have a greater effect on blood glucose levels and weight control than semaglutide.
Lifestyle Factors
Adopt these lifestyle behaviors to accelerate weight loss with tirzepatide and maintain long-term results:
- Consistent exercise 5-7 days a week is important for converting glucose to energy. Walking is a low-cost form of exercise that is easy to adopt. Shoot for 30-60 minutes daily, either in a single session or broken into smaller time increments.
- Add resistance training to accelerate your weight loss and improve your strength and muscle tone.
- Avoid all forms of sugar and artificial sweeteners.
- Drink plenty of plain spring water, and avoid tap water, soda, juice, diet beverages and alcoholic beverages.
- Eliminate grains, including wheat, oats, corn and rice, from your diet, or dramatically reduce your grain consumption.
- Stay away from snack foods, processed foods, and fast foods. Instead, opt for fresh unprocessed fruits and vegetables, and grass-fed, pasture-raised and wild-caught animal products.
- Avoid seed oils such as canola, soybean, sunflower, cottonseed, corn, grapeseed, rice bran, and safflower. Opt for cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
- Optimize sleep by going to bed at the same time each night, avoiding electronic screens for at least one hour before bedtime, and making your bedroom as dark as possible. Shoot for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
Get Tirzepatide for Weight Loss in NYC
If you have type 2 diabetes and/or are struggling to lose weight, Tirzepatide injection therapy can help. At Invita Wellness, we make it easy to get your prescribed weekly injection of tirzepatide without a trip to your doctor’s office. Our convenient Midtown Manhattan clinic offers a spa-like environment geared to wellness and a healthy lifestyle, reinforcing your commitment to achieving your weight loss goals.
To learn more about our weight loss services or to set an appointment, contact Invita Wellness today!
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Resources
Azuri, Joseph, et al. “Tirzepatide versus semaglutide for weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A value for money analysis.” Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism 25.4 (2023): 961-964.
https://dom-pubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dom.14940
Baker, Danial E., Kaitlyn Walley, and Terri L. Levien. “Tirzepatide.” Hospital Pharmacy 58.3 (2023): 227-243.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585056/
Frías, Juan P., et al. “Tirzepatide versus semaglutide once weekly in patients with type 2 diabetes.” New England Journal of Medicine 385.6 (2021): 503-515.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa2107519
