Tirzepatide as a treatment for weight loss and obesity
Are you looking to lose weight for health reasons, but struggling to make progress? Perhaps you’ve fallen into a pattern of stop-start dieting and are finding it hard to achieve lasting results.
This is where weight loss medication like tirzepatide could make a difference, especially when combined with other lifestyle interventions, like better nutritional choices and increased exercise.
Oviva offers a specialist weight management programme, with personalised coaching from experts, along with in-app food and exercise tracking, helping you to achieve sustainable weight loss.
Key Takeaways
- Tirzepatide is a type 2 diabetes and weight loss medicine taken via an injection.
- It targets two hormone receptors involved in regulating appetite and blood sugar.
- Tirzepatide for weight loss works by suppressing your appetite, so you eat less.
- A tirzepatide weight loss plan will also include increased exercise and better nutritional choices.
What is tirzepatide?
Tirzepatide is a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, obesity and weight-related health problems. It targets hormone receptors that influence your appetite and blood sugar levels. The medication is taken via a weekly injection, which can be self-administered.
Tirzepatide is the generic name for the medication, which is distributed in the UK under the brand name Mounjaro and in some other parts of the world as Zepbound.
How does it work?
Tirzepatide is a dual action medication, affecting the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. As a result, insulin is produced and glucose levels are reduced, which is why it’s an effective type 2 diabetes medicine. The hormonal response also increases feelings of fullness and reduces your appetite, making it an effective treatment for obesity and weight-related health issues.
Most patients on a tirzepatide weight loss plan will find they naturally eat less food. When combined with exercise and nutritional support, this promotes weight loss.As you’re using tirzepatide for weight loss, your dosage will gradually increase over a period of several weeks, until you reach the maintenance dose of 15mg. This gradual increase helps your body to get used to the medication and helps minimise the chances of experiencing side effects.
Is it safe and what are the side effects?
For most people, taking tirzepatide for weight loss is both safe and effective. Nevertheless, some people do experience side effects. These may occur when you first start taking the medication, or as the dosage increases towards the maintenance dose. For most people who do experience tirzepatide side effects, they’re relatively mild and will ease over time.
The most common tirzepatide side effects are gastrointestinal issues, such as:
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
- Stomach pains
- Constipation
- Vomiting
Less commonly, people taking tirzepatide may experience:
- Acid reflux
- Rashes and other skin reactions near the injection site
Two rare but more serious tirzepatide side effects are pancreatitis and anaphylaxis. If you experience severe abdominal pain, breathing difficulties, swelling of the tongue, face or lips, or difficulty swallowing, it’s vital to seek urgent medical assistance.
How much weight can you lose on tirzepatide?
Weight loss achieved on tirzepatide will vary from person to person, but studies have provided insights into the kind of weight loss results you might expect.
A 72-week study found that 90% of all participants treated with 10mg or 15mg of tirzepatide achieved at least 5% weight loss, while 63% achieved a 20% weight loss or more.
The average weight loss over 72 weeks for those receiving 15mg of tirzepatide was 20.9%.
Another study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, looked at the weight loss effects of tirzepatide and semaglutide.
Tirzepatide outperformed semaglutide in terms of weight loss outcomes. Over the course of the study, the average percentage weight loss for the participants being treated with tirzepatide at different intervals was as follows:
| 3 Months | 6 Months | 1 Year | |
| % Weight Loss | 5.9% | 10.1% | 15.3% |
Is tirzepatide available on the NHS?
At present, tirzepatide for weight loss is not available on the NHS and so not available through the Oviva weight management programme, although it’s anticipated this will change in the near future. The medicine gained approval from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in late 2023 and approval for NHS use may be granted as early as October 2024.
How do I get a prescription?
At present, tirzepatide for weight loss purposes is not available via an NHS prescription. However, it’s likely that tirzepatide weight loss medication will be made available before the end of 2024. Provisional recommendations made by NICE suggest the criteria for NHS prescription will include a BMI of 35+ with relevant co-morbidities, like diabetes type 2, asthma or heart disease.
Once approved, patients will be able to obtain a prescription from their doctor, or via a referral to a NICE-approved weight management service, like Oviva, offering additional support.
How much does it cost?
Tirzepatide for weight loss is available to buy in the UK under the brand name Mounjaro. It’s sold in the form of injectable pens and these pens are available in 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg doses.
Each pen contains four doses and the doses are taken weekly, so one pen will last 28 days.
Once tirzepatide has been fully approved and licensed for NHS use, it’ll be available to eligible patients via a prescription. Prescription fees for tirzepatide are charged at the standard rate for patients in England. If you have a valid HC2 certificate, you’ll get your prescriptions for free.
You can purchase Mounjaro injections privately online. The current price of Mounjaro ranges from £200-£250 per pen. A 15mg pen will typically cost more than a 2.5mg or 5mg pen and you’ll gradually increase your dose over time.
While you can buy the medication online, it’s important to receive support from specialists when taking any weight loss medication.
Am I still eligible for tirzepatide if I don’t have type 2 diabetes?
Tirzepatide was originally approved as a type 2 diabetes medicine, but it has since been deemed safe and effective for weight loss purposes and approved by the MHRA as an obesity treatment.
Once it gains full approval from NICE for use in the NHS, which is expected in late 2024, patients who meet the eligibility criteria may be treated using a combination of tirzepatide weight loss medication and broader lifestyle interventions, even if they do not have type 2 diabetes.
Are there any contraindications with tirzepatide?
Do not take tirzepatide while you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. You should also stop using the medication at least two months before you plan to become pregnant. If you do become pregnant while taking tirzepatide, you should stop using it immediately.
Tirzepatide should not be taken if you’re under the age of 18, or if you have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, or multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2 (MEN 2).
It’s also recommended to minimise alcohol consumption as much as possible while taking tirzepatide. The relationship between the medication and alcohol is not yet fully understood and regular alcohol consumption can generally be counterproductive to weight loss goals.
Does tirzepatide interact badly with any other drugs?
The main drug interactions to be aware of are with insulin, sulfonylureas, and glinides. Taking these alongside tirzepatide can potentially cause your blood glucose levels to fall too low. If you’re taking blood glucose medication, it’s important to discuss the suitability of tirzepatide with a doctor.
You should also avoid taking other weight loss medications at the same time as you take tirzepatide. This includes other GLP-1 agonists, like Wegovy (semaglutide).
Tirzepatide may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. It’s recommended to use additional forms of contraception while taking tirzepatide.
What should I do if I miss a dose?
If you miss your weekly tirzepatide weight loss injection and you’re within four days (96 hours) of the scheduled time for taking it, you should simply take your dose as soon as possible and then return to your usual schedule. If, however, it’s been more than 96 hours from the time of your missed dose, you should skip the dose for that week and continue as normal from the next dose.
It’s important to avoid taking two doses within a three day period (72 hours). You should never take a double dose to try to make up for a missed dose. If you miss multiple doses consecutively, consult a healthcare professional before continuing your tirzepatide weight loss treatment.
How should I store tirzepatide?
Tirzepatide pens should be stored in the refrigerator until they’re in use. These pens should be kept away from the cooling element and stored between 2°C and 8°C. Once removed from the refrigerator, each pen has a shelf-life of 30 days when stored at room temperature. This is long enough for a pen to provide you with four doses, taken once per week.
The pen cap should be kept on when the pen is not in use, as the pens are sensitive to light.
Do not freeze your tirzepatide pen and do not use the pen if it has been frozen at any time.
How Oviva can support your weight loss journey
Oviva provides a comprehensive weight management programme that includes prescription weight loss medication alongside coaching, nutrition and exercise tracking.
97% of our patients recommend our service to others and enjoy an average weight loss of 13.6kg.
Take the first step today – our simple survey will tell you if you’re eligible.
Monitor your goals
Receive personalised recommendations to help you to work towards your goal. Log your food, mood, water intake, exercise and other health metrics using the Oviva app.
Keep a food journal
Snap photos of your daily meals effortlessly within the Oviva app.
Get meal analysis
Get an in-depth meal analysis instantly with a daily summary of your diet.
Stay connected
Connect with your Oviva coach anytime through the app.
Browse learning resources
Written by Oviva’s team of experts, explore advice on nutrition, exercise, and motivation to guide you through the programme and maximise long term weight maintenance.
-
Weight management -
Weight management -
Weight management