Mounjaro is a comparatively new kind 2 diabetes drug that lowers blood sugars and helps enhance A1c ranges.
It additionally helps those that take it to lose or preserve their weight.
On this article, we’ll cowl every little thing you could find out about Mounjaro, together with its advantages, uncomfortable side effects, and the right way to use it successfully.
What’s Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is produced by Eli Lilly and is the model title for the remedy tirzepatide.
It was first accepted by the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) in america in 2022 to assist handle blood sugar in adults with kind 2 diabetes, together with a nutritious diet and train.
It’s the first remedy in a brand new drug class often called twin glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, activating each the GLP-1 and GIP receptors.
It really works by serving to the pancreas produce extra insulin, reducing the quantity of sugar launched by the liver, rising the physique’s sensitivity to insulin, and slowing digestion, making you’re feeling full longer.
It’s an injectable remedy taken as soon as per week to assist enhance blood sugar ranges and A1c (a measure of glucose management over the earlier 2 to three months).
What are the advantages of Mounjaro?
Mounjaro has three most important advantages for individuals dwelling with diabetes:
Lowers blood sugars
Mounjaro helps enhance blood sugar ranges by rising the quantity of insulin the pancreas releases — however solely when your blood sugar is rising.
This makes the chance of low blood sugar whereas taking the remedy minimal. It additionally stops your liver from releasing sugar into the blood and will increase your physique’s sensitivity to insulin.
Mixed, this leads to decrease blood sugars and A1c ranges.
Aids in weight reduction or weight upkeep
In November 2023, Mounjaro was accepted underneath the model title Zepbound for power weight administration in obese or overweight adults with no less than one weight-related situation.
The medication helps cut back meals consumption by decreasing urge for food and slowing digestion.
In scientific trials, individuals taking the drug on the most dose of 15 milligrams (mg) per week misplaced:
- 12 kilos greater than these taking the GLP-1 remedy semaglutide
- 29 kilos greater than these on insulin degludec
- 27 kilos greater than these on insulin glargine
How a lot weight do you lose on Mounjaro?
In research on Zepbound, the weight-loss model of Mounjaro, roughly 15 p.c of individuals taking a 5-mg dose, 32 p.c of these taking a 10-mg dose, and 36 p.c of these taking a 15-mg dose misplaced 25 p.c of their physique weight. On the very best 15-mg dose, weight reduction was a median of 48 kilos, based on producer Eli Lilly.
Learn extra in: Can Mounjaro Assist You Lose Weight?
Lowers danger of coronary heart illness
This remedy has the facility to guard towards coronary heart illness, which is the primary reason for dying for individuals with diabetes.
In research, after 52 weeks, individuals on the very best dose of Mounjaro (15 mg per week):
- Lowered their whole ldl cholesterol by about 5.6 p.c
- Lowered their triglycerides by 22.5 p.c
- Lowered their LDL (“unhealthy”) ldl cholesterol by 7.9 p.c
- Lowered their VLDL ldl cholesterol by 21.8 p.c
- Elevated their HDL (“good”) ldl cholesterol by 10.8 p.c
Why would you be prescribed Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is simply FDA-approved for individuals who have kind 2 diabetes.
However notice that not everybody with kind 2 diabetes will likely be prescribed Mounjaro.
It is because many individuals are in a position to handle their blood sugar ranges with weight loss plan, train, and typically with different drugs equivalent to metformin or insulin.
Nevertheless, it’s an effective way to fight insulin resistance, enhance blood sugar ranges, and support in weight reduction for those who’re having issue reaching these targets by different strategies.
Many individuals who’ve kind 2 diabetes and current coronary heart illness can also be prescribed Mounjaro to behave as a protecting agent and enhance each diabetes and coronary heart well being.
The medication isn’t accepted to be used in individuals underneath 18 years of age.
What are the uncomfortable side effects of Mounjaro?
The commonest uncomfortable side effects embrace:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Gasoline
- Abdomen ache
- Constipation
- Weight reduction
- Fast coronary heart charge
Though uncommon, extra extreme issues might embrace:
- Thyroid tumors, together with most cancers
- Pancreatitis (irritation of the pancreas)
- Gallbladder illness
- Low blood sugar ranges, for those who take insulin
- Severe allergic reactions
A number of of those extra extreme uncomfortable side effects can result in everlasting well being issues and dying if not handled shortly.
Name your physician or search emergency medical consideration for those who:
- Develop a fever
- Expertise modifications or worsening of your imaginative and prescient
- Are feeling weak or in ache after taking the remedy
- Suppose you’re having an allergic response
Get a extra detailed overview in: Mounjaro Aspect Results: What You Must Know.
Do I would like to vary my weight loss plan?
When taking Mounjaro, adjusting your weight loss plan can enhance the remedy’s effectiveness and reduce uncomfortable side effects. It’s useful to keep away from meals and drinks excessive in added sugars, overly fatty, fried, or greasy meals, and to eat alcohol carefully, or in no way, relying on particular person well being suggestions.
Specializing in unprocessed, entire meals equivalent to lean proteins, wholesome fat, and low-glycemic greens can enhance the drug’s effectiveness in managing blood sugar ranges.
For extra detailed steerage, learn: What Meals to Keep away from on Mounjaro.
Mounjaro doses
Mounjaro comes as a liquid answer inside prefilled, disposable pens. You inject the drug subcutaneously (underneath your pores and skin) as soon as per week.
You’ll be able to take the drugs with or with out meals. Every dose is given in a single-dose pen to forestall overdosing.
The completely different dosing choices obtainable are:
- 2.5 mg per week (for the primary 4 weeks as a beginning dose)
- 5 mg per week
- 7.5 mg per week
- 10 mg per week
- 15 mg per week
Upkeep doses can vary anyplace from 5 mg per week to fifteen mg per week, to be decided by you and your physician.
Learn extra: Mounjaro Dosing Information: How A lot Ought to You Take?
How a lot Mounjaro do I take?
This may differ by individual and can rely in your well being historical past, well being targets, and way of life.
Nevertheless, most docs will begin sufferers on 2.5 mg as soon as per week. It is very important take your injection on the identical day every week.
After 4 weeks, for those who’re not having opposed uncomfortable side effects, your physician might enhance your dose to five mg, administered as soon as weekly.
For those who’re nonetheless having blood sugar spikes with no opposed uncomfortable side effects, your physician might enhance your dose to 7.5 mg as soon as weekly or as excessive as 15 mg as soon as weekly. The utmost dose is 15 mg taken as soon as weekly.
By no means take two Mounjaro doses inside the identical week.
What occurs for those who take an excessive amount of Mounjaro?
Taking an excessive amount of of this remedy may cause critical opposed uncomfortable side effects.
These can embrace debilitating nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdomen ache, and even low blood sugar (particularly for those who’re additionally on insulin), which might change into deadly if not handled instantly.
Don’t take two doses of Mounjaro inside three days of one another.
Name your physician immediately or search emergency medical consideration for those who’ve by chance taken an excessive amount of of this remedy.
Can I miss a dose of Moujaro?
For those who miss a dose, it’s OK to take it a number of days late.
Nevertheless, for those who missed your dose greater than 4 days (96 hours) in the past, simply skip that week’s dose and take your subsequent repeatedly scheduled dose on time.
You’ll not expertise insulin resistance or weight achieve from one missed dose.
Strive to not miss doses repeatedly, nevertheless, because the remedy is simplest when taken constantly.
Easy methods to inject Mounjaro
- Verify the liquid within the pen visually earlier than injecting.
- Don’t use the pen if there are any particles or discoloration current.
- Earlier than injecting, clear the injection web site with a rubbing alcohol swab.
- Change the injection web site every week to forestall accidents underneath the pores and skin or scar tissue from creating.
- Word that Mounjaro is often injected underneath the pores and skin within the thigh, stomach, or higher arm.
- Discuss to your physician about one of the best locations so that you can inject and the right way to rotate injection websites.
- All the time throw the pen needle and pen away after every dose in a sharps-safe container.
Since Mounjaro pens are available single doses, you’ll undergo 4 per 30-day provide, so there is no such thing as a must preserve the pen after use.
Study extra in: Mounjaro Injection: The place and Easy methods to Inject.
Who shouldn’t take Mounjaro?
For sure, don’t take this for those who don’t have a prescription.
It isn’t really helpful to be used in case you are pregnant, planning on turning into pregnant, or in case you are breastfeeding.
Additionally it is not really helpful for individuals with out diabetes, with prediabetes, or with kind 1 diabetes with out the steerage of a doctor.
Study extra in: Can You Take Mounjaro if You Have Kind 1 Diabetes?
Mounjaro is simply FDA-approved for individuals 18 years and older.
Don’t use the drugs for those who or any of your loved ones members have ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or when you have A number of Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome kind 2 (MEN 2).
Don’t use it in case you are allergic to tirzepatide or any of the opposite elements within the remedy.
Discuss together with your physician when you have questions or issues about beginning Mounjaro.
How do I cease taking my Mounjaro?
There are a selection of causes that you could be need to cease taking this medication.
For instance, perhaps you’re experiencing opposed uncomfortable side effects, you don’t like how the remedy makes you’re feeling, or it’s gotten cost-prohibitive.
Discuss together with your physician earlier than stopping any diabetes remedy, together with this one.
What occurs once you cease taking Mounjaro?
Your physician will most likely need you to wean your dose earlier than stopping it utterly. Insulin resistance, meals cravings, blood sugar ranges, and weight might creep again up when you cease taking it.
It would be best to have a plan in place, such as a substitute remedy, train, or weight loss plan routine, to assist fight any rebound results it’s possible you’ll expertise.
In case you have misplaced weight on this medication, it’s possible you’ll must preserve taking it indefinitely to forestall the burden from coming again.
Can Mounjaro exchange insulin?
No. Mounjaro isn’t insulin, neither is it an insulin alternative. Reasonably, it acts as a complement to insulin remedy (for those who take insulin.)
For those who’ve just lately been prescribed this medication, don’t cease taking your different diabetes drugs until your physician has particularly informed you to.
Mounjaro lowers blood sugars over time, but it surely doesn’t trigger acute low blood sugars in the way in which that insulin can.
For those who usually take insulin for meals, you will have to proceed to take action.
For those who’ve been on the remedy for a number of months, it’s possible you’ll discover that your insulin wants are progressively reducing.
Nevertheless, this hardly ever utterly takes away the necessity to take insulin in your diabetes.
Can I take Mounjaro with different diabetes drugs?
This may rely on what different drugs you’re taking.
Usually, Mounjaro will be taken alongside drugs like metformin and/or insulin, if prescribed on the identical time.
Nevertheless, it shouldn’t be mixed with GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs.
GLP-1 receptor agonists embrace:
All the time speak together with your physician for those who’re not sure of how any drugs you are taking will work together with any new drugs you’re contemplating taking.
Learn extra about how Mounjaro compares to Ozempic in: Ozempic vs. Mounjaro: Which One Ought to You Select?
Does Mounjaro must be refrigerated?
No. The medication will be left unrefrigerated for as much as 21 days, so long as the temperature by no means exceeds 86 levels Fahrenheit (30 levels Celsius).
Mounjaro needs to be saved at a temperature between 36 and 46 levels Fahrenheit (2 and eight levels Celsius).
Be sure it doesn’t get any hotter than 86 levels Fahrenheit (30 levels Celsius), and by no means freeze the pens.
All the time preserve your Mounjaro pen in its unique casing to guard it from daylight.
How do I get a prescription for Mounjaro?
In case you have kind 2 diabetes, communicate together with your physician in order for you a prescription for this remedy.
For those who don’t have kind 2 however dwell with one other type of diabetes and are coping with insulin resistance, speak together with your physician about your remedy choices.
Additionally communicate together with your physician for those who don’t have any kind of diabetes however need to safely shed weight. There are FDA-approved weight reduction drugs which may be a superb match and gained’t have the identical uncomfortable side effects as Mounjaro/Zepbound.
For instance, Wegovy (semaglutide) is FDA-approved for weight reduction in adults who’re overweight or obese and have no less than one weight-related situation (equivalent to kind 2 diabetes, hypertension, or excessive ldl cholesterol).
Discover out extra about how Wegovy and Mounjaro evaluate in: Wegovy vs. Mounjaro: What Is the Finest Choice?
How a lot does Mounjaro value?
In line with Eli Lilly, the checklist worth of the drugs is about $1,023 per fill, equaling a month’s provide (4 injector pens).
Most individuals with medical health insurance don’t pay the checklist worth. Insurance coverage protection for the remedy varies.
Ultimate ideas
Mounjaro’s dual-action mechanism affords a promising strategy to not solely managing blood sugar ranges but additionally addressing weight administration, a standard problem for many individuals dwelling with diabetes. Encouraging scientific outcomes additionally present potential cardiovascular advantages.
It is very important strategy this drug with an understanding of its particular advantages and potential uncomfortable side effects. As with all remedy, the choice to make use of Mounjaro needs to be made in shut session with a healthcare supplier, guaranteeing a customized and protected strategy to diabetes administration.
