The weight loss drug market in the medical field has expanded by leaps and bounds in the past few years, and two of the largest players to enter the market have been Tirzepatide and Semaglutide in Scottsdale, AZ and beyond. While both have garnered rave reviews for successfully assisting patients in losing weight, the question that pops into every patient’s mind is: can you take Tirzepatide and Semaglutide together? In this blog, we will be explaining how both drugs function, how they are alike and how they differ, and whether doctors recommend using them in tandem.
How Each Drug Works
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist. That is, it is a hormone-like medication that has a vital role in appetite as well as control of blood glucose. Semaglutide makes patients eat less food by slowing down the emptying of the stomach and inhibiting signals of hunger to the brain, and ultimately tends to lead to weight loss.
Tirzepatide, however, is a dual agonist. In addition to being a GLP-1 receptor agonist, it is also a GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptor agonist. Its impact is further enhanced through its dual mechanism of not only inducing insulin sensitivity and caloric intake but further delivering extra appetite suppression on top of single-action drugs such as Semaglutide.
Although they share the same action mechanisms on the GLP-1 receptors, the added activity on the GIP receptors positions Tirzepatide in a next-generation class with greater efficacy.
Similarities and Differences Between the Two
Semaglutide and Tirzepatide have the same intention of inducing weight loss but vary in how they work and the effectiveness of how they function. Both are injectables and are administered once a week, and both have been shown in clinical trials to have incredible effects. Taking Semaglutide and Tirzepatide together is generally not recommended, though, as they both work through similar mechanisms. Tirzepatide may be better with its dual receptor approach, where some studies cite that it can induce even greater weight loss than Semaglutide.
Practically, both drugs have patients adopting lifestyle adjustments like eating a healthy diet and becoming physically more active in a bid to improve their best outcomes. They also share the same side effects like nausea, vomiting, and potential gastrointestinal discomfort. Patients with certain conditions or a history of certain diseases are not the best candidates for either drug and should hence be kept under medical observation.
The biggest difference lies in the broader effect of Tirzepatide in its binding to dual receptors, making it an even more suitable option for weight management in some cases. But the distinct mode of action of Semaglutide does not make it outdated as it is still an extremely potent and sought-after drug.
How Professionals Will Start
Because Semaglutide and Tirzepatide have similar mechanisms of action, physicians and medical weight loss facilities are cautious to combine the two drugs. Can you mix Semaglutide and Tirzepatide together? Probably not, as combining the two can potentially enhance side effects such as severe nausea or hypoglycemia without any evident proof of increased benefit.
There is no strong clinical evidence to date for the combination of Tirzepatide and Semaglutide together for weight loss. Doctors prefer to start a patient on one drug and see how they do before switching. What is important to know here is that both drugs are effective when used separately and are sufficient for most patients without needing combination therapy.
If the patient is not responding best to one of them, a clinician can attempt the other rather than combining them. It is a step-by-step approach to remain cautious but to allow the experts to tailor the treatment.
Should They Be Combined? A Summary
Currently, experts do not usually recommend using Semaglutide and Tirzepatide together. While both medications are very effective, both, in fact, work through the same mechanism, which means the two are not needed and maybe not safe to use together. The aim is to maximize one medication and supplement with the right lifestyle modifications to achieve long-term and healthy weight loss results.
If you are considering medical weight loss treatment, seek your doctor’s advice on what treatment will suit you. Treatment made especially for you and tailored to your needs is always the safest and best option to choose.