Eli Lilly shared more good news this week about the health benefits of tirzepatide—the active ingredient in the obesity and diabetes medications Zepbound and Mounjaro.
Early results from a three-year clinical study indicate that the blockbuster GLP-1 medication can not only treat type 2 diabetes but may also prevent the condition in people with prediabetes and obesity or overweight. The clinical trial is the longest finalized study of tirzepatide so far.
Tirzepatide cuts the risk of progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes:
The results also showed substantial weight loss:
The big picture on type 2 diabetes risk:
Lilly and Novo Nordisk, the company that makes Ozempic and Wegovy, are racing to study the health benefits of their GLP-1 drugs beyond helping patients manage their weight and diabetes. Other clinical trials have so far shown that tirzepatide can alleviate heart failure, sleep apnea, and fatty liver disease.
Lilly has only shared top-line data—the main takeaways from the study. The full data will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at amedical conferencein November.
What This Means For YouIf you have overweight or obesity, talk to a trusted health provider about your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide and other GLP-1 medications can help control appetite, blood pressure, and other factors that contribute to the development of diabetes. But there are downsides to the medications, too, including cost and sometimes uncomfortable side effects. A health provider can help you weigh the pros and cons of the drugs.
What This Means For You
If you have overweight or obesity, talk to a trusted health provider about your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide and other GLP-1 medications can help control appetite, blood pressure, and other factors that contribute to the development of diabetes. But there are downsides to the medications, too, including cost and sometimes uncomfortable side effects. A health provider can help you weigh the pros and cons of the drugs.
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prediabetes – your chance to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Schnurr TM, Jakupović H, Carrasquilla GD, et al.Obesity, unfavourable lifestyle and genetic risk of type 2 diabetes: a case-cohort study.Diabetologia. 2020;63(7):1324-1332. doi:10.1007/s00125-020-05140-5
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
