Women tend to lose more weight than men when on the weight loss jab Mounjaro, according to analysis.
Mounjaro – also known as tirzepatide and made by Eli Lilly – was recommended to treat obesity on the NHS in England earlier this year.
Researchers at Eli Lilly analysed the results of their trials, which included 4,677 obese adults, 2,999 of whom were female and 1,678 male.
Their findings, presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Madrid, pointed to a variation when it comes to gender.
Across all trials, tirzepatide was associated with significant weight loss when compared to the placebo group.
However, weight loss in females ranged from 11.5% to 27.6% of body weight, while in males it ranged from 8.8% to 18.9%.
Overall, women in the trials lost more weight – up to 24.6% – compared to men (18.1%).
Researchers said: “The safety profile was broadly similar by sex, but a numerically higher incidence of nausea and vomiting was observed in females.”
Tirzepatide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist, a family of medications that help manage blood sugar.
Other GLP-1 agonists include semaglutide – sold under the brand names Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus.
In September last year, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended the NHS in England should offer Mounjaro as an option for type 2 diabetics who could not tolerate metformin.
In June, the health service spending watchdog also gave it the green light to be used to help obese patients lose weight.