- A new study found that postmenopausal women who took tirzepatide in combination with hormone therapy lost more weight than those who did not.
- Tirzepatide (Zepbound) is an FDA-approved drug prescribed for weight loss. It is also the active ingredient in the GLP-1 drug “Mounjaro” to treat type 2 diabetes.
- The discovery could open up treatment possibilities for women who are obese or experience obesity-related symptoms after menopause.
Menopause can accelerate age-related weight gain.
This life transition can also increase your chances of developing overweight or obesity, which are health risk factors. type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The findings could help expand treatment possibilities for postmenopausal women with obesity and co-existing health conditions.
Mir AliM.D., a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, who was not involved in the study, said the results were significant.
“This result is consistent with what we have observed in the bariatric setting, particularly that postmenopausal hormonal changes can have a large impact on a woman’s weight,” Ali told Healthline.
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MHT helps replace ovarian hormones lost during the menopausal transition. A decline in this hormone is thought to be the cause of symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and weight gain.
This research mayo clinicreviewed data from 120 participants who were overweight or overweight. obesity Have received tirzepatide for more than 12 months.
People who received both hormone therapy and tirzepatide were compared with people with similar characteristics who did not receive hormone therapy.
Results showed that the combination treatment resulted in 35% greater weight loss.
“This was an interesting and encouraging finding,” said Amy Roskin, MD, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and the hospital’s chief medical officer. seven sterlingThe company, which operates a women’s health platform, was not involved in the study.
“There aren’t many studies looking at how this class of drugs can be used in conjunction with hormone therapy. Many women find it very difficult to manage postmenopausal weight gain, but this could be a reasonable option depending on an individual’s specific circumstances,” she said.
Roskin told Healthline that the findings could have implications for the treatment of postmenopausal weight gain.
“More research is needed to further confirm and expand the knowledge base here,” she said.
Despite these preliminary results, the findings are important. Future studies will help validate the results while controlling for other factors.
“In future research, we hope to focus on the specific doses and optimal timing of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women to optimize weight loss and overall health,” Ali said.
As senior author of the study Maria Daniela Hurtado AndradeMD, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, explains: press release: “This is not a randomized trial, so we cannot say that hormone therapy caused additional weight loss.”
Study authors say participants taking hormone therapy may have already engaged in healthier behaviors.
Hurtado-Andrade further argued that the reduction in menopausal symptoms may have improved the participants’ quality of life and facilitated their continued participation. Physical activity and dietary changes.
There are other proven strategies that can help postmenopausal women lose weight.
According to Menopause SocietyLifestyle changes are the cornerstone of weight management. The organization suggests:
“It’s also important to look at other factors. For example, some thyroid conditions can contribute to weight gain, so testing should also be part of the evaluation,” Roskin says.
Roskin recommended following up with a health care professional for a comprehensive evaluation of weight gain associated with menopause. She said this will help guide you to a treatment plan that takes into account your specific situation.