Diabetes drug beats Ozempic in weight loss trial as it's dubbed 'significantly more effective'

Semaglutide, the Type 2 diabetes drug that has taken the world of celebrity slimming by storm, better known by the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, could be replaced as the weight loss tool of the moment. New research has found that a similar insulin-boosting drug shows a 'significant' improvement' for people who struggle to shed the pounds.

With rising obesity levels and related Type 2 diabetes diagnoses, semaglutide and related drugs have started a revolution in the treatment of these life-limiting conditions. Some patients have managed to reverse their weight-related diabetes, while those who have otherwise struggled with diets have seen waistlines shrink. But as with all breakthroughs, more research is revealing more about how these drugs work.

Tirzepatide, another drug initially used to fight diabetes, also works by mimicking a hormone in your body that is released in your stomach when you eat, called GLP-1, which triggers an increase in insulting production. However, the study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found tirzepatide was "significantly" more effective as a weight loss treatment.

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The large study examined the responses of 18,386 people taking either tirzepatide or semaglutide drugs, around half of which (52%) had Type 2 diabetes. Comparing patient cohorts, which had the average age of 52, they found that two-thirds of people (66.5%) lost a noticeable amount of weight when using the popular semaglutide.

But a whopping 82 per cent of those taking tirzepatide saw their weight fall by at least five per cent in response to the drug.

Study author Patricia Rodriguez, PhD, principal applied scientist at Truveta, which partly funded the study, explained her findings to Medical News Today: “Patients on tirzepatide were over two times more likely to experience 10 per cent weight loss and three times more likely to experience 15 per cent weight loss within a year, compared to patients on semaglutide.

"Our study also found that, in general, patients without type 2 diabetes experienced greater weight loss than patients with type 2 diabetes, but tirzepatide was more effective than semaglutide in both groups.”

The growing use of Ozempic and similar diabetes drugs as weight loss tools has led to a shortage in doses for people living with Type 2, who could benefit from the breakthrough tool which has allowed many to reverse the condition and improve their health. This has led to a rise in dangerous fake versions of the drug, which the World Health Organisation has warned the public to steer clear of.

While this study adds to the growing scientific research into drugs that boost the body's insulin production system, such as tirzepatide and semaglutide, the UK's medicines regulator NICE has cautioned the public on their use. If you are already using other medicines, you might experience issues after taking the drug.

NICE says: "Tirzepatide delays gastric emptying, particularly following the first dose. This has the potential to slow the rate of absorption of concomitant oral medicines." But, the research could still influence future decisions by medical professionals on whether to prescribe tirzepatide as a potential weight loss tool.

Study co-author Nick Stucky, MD, PhD, vice president of Truveta Research, added: “While tirzepatide was significantly more effective than semaglutide, patients on both medications experienced substantial weight loss and we observed no difference in the risk of GI adverse events.”

This research could influence prescription decisions in the future, but more research will be needed into the long-term effects of these GLP-1 mimicking drugs. You should speak to your doctor before making any medication decisions and avoid purchasing online knockoffs that could seriously harm your health.