Mounjaro and Ozempic: how medicines work in the treatment of diabetes and in the weight loss process

Last week, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) registered a new medicine for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

According to the agency, the medicine is indicated for use as a complement to diet and exercise to control glycemic levels in adults with the disease.

This is Mounjaro, which promises to be better than Ozempic for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The difference between the two drugs, according to endocrinologist at Hospital Sírio-Libanês Claudia Cozer, is in the composition.

This entire class of medicines that help with satiety and reduce appetite are made up of intestinal peptides, that is, hormones that help regulate hunger.

• In the case of Ozempic, the active ingredient simulates the action of just one hormone, GLP-1.
• Mounjaro’s active ingredient is tirzepatide, which is the first receptor for two hormones: GIP and GLP-1.

“Because it is two polypeptides, studies have shown a greater likelihood of satiety and weight loss with Mounjaro”, explains the endocrinologist. GIP and GLP-1 are neurohormones produced by the human intestinal tract. “We have these substances in our bodies. What happens is that we are making it in the laboratory and injecting it into the body to have a higher dose and consequently a greater feeling of satiety”.

The doctor also explains that all medicines of this nature have the main objective of glycemic control, that is, treating type 2 diabetes. The second effect is weight loss.

Therefore, Ozempic ends up being used in both situations:

• type 2 diabetes treatment,
• and weight loss.

For now, Anvisa has not approved the use of Mounjaro to treat obesity only. “Ozempic went almost two years without being released for weight loss, the release only happened at the end of last year. We believe that the same thing will happen with Mounjaro”, he explains.

The endocrinologist also warns that both medications do not require a medical prescription, which ends up increasing the risk of self-medication, a practice not recommended by experts. The side effects of Mounjaro are very similar to those of Ozempic: nausea, poor digestion, reflux, constipation, diarrhea and dizziness. “There are people who cannot handle the side effects”, he warns.

Type 2 diabetes

When a human being eats food, the pancreas senses that glucose is entering the body and secretes insulin. People with type 1 diabetes do not secrete any insulin.

People with type 2 diabetes secrete a little insulin, a smaller amount than is ideal for the body. Ozempic or Mounjaro stimulate the pancreas to release more insulin, in a proportional manner. In other words, the amount of insulin that is released depends on the amount of glucose consumed.

Obesity

Doctor Claudia Cozer emphasizes that obesity is a multifactorial disease. Ozempic or Mounjaro are new drugs, a category of medicines that began to hit the market in 2011.

“The last line of medicines was from 1995, it was a long time without any new drugs appearing. These medications help, but there are many patients who are unable to lose weight or do not continue treatment because of side effects. It’s a new tool, but it doesn’t fit everyone.”