How Mounjaro Works: The Power of Dual GIP and GLP-1 Action
Mounjaro is a weekly self-injectable KwikPen designed for weight loss and weight management. It contains Tirzepatide, which helps regulate blood sugar and energy balance, reducing appetite and preventing cravings for effective weight management, in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity. Mounjaro is now available on prescription from doctors in Ireland for suitable patients. Mounjaro can also be used to treat Type 2 Diabetes.
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is unique because it is a dual agonist, meaning it mimics the action of two natural hormones instead of just one. It targets both the GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptors in the body.
These hormones are naturally produced in the gut and act on specific targets, including the brain and the pancreas. Mounjaro’s dual action helps manage weight and blood sugar in several ways:
- Appetite Regulation: By targeting receptors in the brain, it significantly reduces appetite and food cravings while increasing feelings of fullness.
- Blood Sugar Control: It increases the amount of insulin the pancreas releases in response to food, which helps lower blood glucose levels.
- Effective Weight Loss: The combined effect of these two pathways helps patients reduce their overall food intake, leading to a clinically significant loss of body fat
How Is Mounjaro Used?
- Mounjaro is presented as a convenient KwikPen, with four fixed doses in each pen.
- Mounjaro is injected once a week, under the skin of the abdomen (belly), upper arm or thigh.
- Mounjaro should be injected on the same day each week.
- The starting dose for Mounjaro is 2.5mg for the first 4 weeks, which then increases to 5mg.
- Maintenance doses can range from 5mg to 15mg depending on your response. Your doctor will determine the maintenance dose after review.
- Instructions on how to use Mounjaro Kwikpen can be downloaded here.
Clinical Results: How Effective is Mounjaro for Weight Loss?
Mounjaro was effective at helping people lose weight in a study involving more than 2,500 adults who had obesity (BMI over 30kg/m2) or who were overweight (BMI between 27 and 30 kg/m2) and had at least one weight-related health problem. In this study, people who used Mounjaro in combination with diet and physical activity for 72 weeks reduced their weight by at least 15% on average, depending on the dose they were given. This compares with 3% in people who were given a placebo. Over 85% of people taking Mounjaro were able to reduce their weight by at least 5%, compared with 35% of people given placebo.
