How Much Weight Can You Lose on Zepbound?

If you’re wondering how much weight can you lose on Zepbound, the answer depends on your dose, your health condition, and how long you stay on the medication. Zepbound (tirzepatide), made by Eli Lilly, got the green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 8, 2023, for ongoing weight management. This was a big step forward in how we approach obesity treatment.

Quick Answer: Most people can lose between 15% and 21% of their body weight on Zepbound in clinical trials. That’s about 34–48 pounds for someone weighing 225 pounds at the start. In real-world use, the average is closer to 12%, but those who stick with treatment often match trial results.

This medication is one of a kind. It works by activating two important gut hormone receptors: glucagon like peptide 1 (GLP 1) and glucose dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). This double action is why it’s so good at helping with weight loss, something we’ve seen in many clinical trials.

For example, the main SURMOUNT 1 trial showed that people taking the highest dose of Zepbound lost almost 21% of their body weight on average over 72 weeks. We’ll look closely at the clinical trial details and what’s happening in the real world to answer the question: How much weight can you lose on Zepbound, truly?

How Much Weight Can You Lose on Zepbound? The SURMOUNT Clinical Trial Program

Doctors learned about how well Zepbound works and how safe it is for weight management mostly through the SURMOUNT (Study of Tirzepatide for Weight Reduction) clinical trial program. These big, randomized trials, where some people got the medicine and others got a placebo, gave us solid information about what the medicine does for many different kinds of people.

SURMOUNT 1: Weight Loss for People Without Diabetes

The SURMOUNT 1 trial, with results shared in The New England Journal of Medicine, looked at how Zepbound helped adults who were obese or overweight with at least one weight-related health issue, but without type 2 diabetes. The SURMOUNT 1 trial helps answer the question how much weight can you lose on Zepbound, showing average reductions of 15- 21% depending on the dose.

This study went on for 72 weeks and clearly showed a lot of weight loss, with higher doses leading to more weight reduction.

Key Things We Learned from SURMOUNT 1:

Average Weight Loss:

• 5 mg dose: 15.0% of body weight (about 34 pounds on average)
• 10 mg dose: 19.5% of body weight (about 44 pounds on average)
• 15 mg dose: 20.9% of body weight (about 48 pounds on average)
• Placebo: 3.1% of body weight (about 7 pounds on average)

How Many People Lost Weight:

• 5% or More Weight Loss: 85% (5 mg), 89% (10 mg), and 91% (15 mg) of people saw this, compared to 35% with the placebo.
• 20% or More Weight Loss: 30% (5 mg), 50% (10 mg), and 57% (15 mg) of people reached this, compared to 3.1% with the placebo.
• 25% or More Weight Loss: On the highest dose (15 mg), more than a third of people lost at least 25% of their body weight.

SURMOUNT 2: Weight Loss for People With Type 2 Diabetes

The SURMOUNT 2 trial focused on a group that often finds weight loss harder: adults who were both obese or overweight and had type 2 diabetes. The findings, shared in The Lancet, were also very good.

Key Things We Learned from SURMOUNT 2:

Average Weight Loss:

• 10 mg dose: 12.8% of body weight (about 28 pounds on average)
• 15 mg dose: 14.7% of body weight (about 33 pounds on average)
• Placebo: 3.2% of body weight (about 7 pounds on average)

How Many People Lost Weight:

• 5% or More Weight Loss: 79.2% (10 mg) and 82.8% (15 mg) of people saw this, compared to 32.5% with the placebo.
• 15% or More Weight Loss: 40% (10 mg) and 48% (15 mg) of people reached this, compared to 3% with the placebo.

Zepbound Compared to Wegovy (Semaglutide)

To see how Zepbound stacks up against other popular weight loss medicines, the SURMOUNT 5 trial directly compared tirzepatide (Zepbound) with semaglutide (Wegovy), another well known GLP 1 receptor agonist.

Key Things We Learned from SURMOUNT 5:

• Average Weight Loss: After 72 weeks, people taking Zepbound lost about 20.2% of their body weight on average, while those on Wegovy lost about 13.7%.
• How Many People Lost 25% or More Weight: 31.6% of those on Zepbound reached this goal, compared to 16.1% of those on Wegovy.

Real-World Evidence: How Much Weight Can You Lose on Zepbound Outside of Studies – Real World Data and What Patients Say

While clinical trials give us the best information on how well medicines work, real world information helps us see how they perform in everyday life. Recent studies and patient stories offer a peek into what it’s like to take Zepbound outside of a controlled trial.

Studies that look at information from electronic health records give a more realistic idea of how well Zepbound works.

• Difference in Weight Loss: A Cleveland Clinic study found that in real life, people taking tirzepatide lost about 12% of their body weight on average after one year. This is less than the 15 21% seen in clinical trials.
• Why the Difference: The main reasons for this difference are that more people stop taking the medicine and doctors often use lower ongoing doses in regular practice. In one study, about 51% of real-world patients stopped taking tirzepatide within the first year, compared to only 14 16% in clinical trials.

Why Sticking With It Matters: The same study showed that people who kept taking the medicine and were on higher ongoing doses saw results much closer to the clinical trials, with an average weight loss of 18.0% with tirzepatide.

What Patients Experience and Report

Stories from patient reviews and online forums give a sense of what it’s like to take Zepbound:

• Less Hunger and “Food Noise”: A very common comment is a big drop in hunger and the quieting of “food noise”—those constant thoughts about food. Many users say they feel full much faster and for longer.
• Changes in Food Likes: Some users report they don’t want fatty, sugary or processed foods as much, and they crave alcohol less.
• Common Side Effects: Just like in the clinical trials, nausea, constipation, tiredness, and “sulfur burps” are often mentioned, especially when starting the medicine or increasing the dose. Most users say these side effects are manageable or get better over time.
• Other Benefits Beyond Weight Loss: Many patients have talked about improvements in issues related to inflammation, like less joint pain from fibromyalgia and arthritis. Better blood pressure and cholesterol levels are also often mentioned.
• How It Affects Your Mind: Users often say it changes their lives. However, some also note that it takes time to get used to their new relationship with food, with a few feeling a sense of loss about the social and emotional parts of eating.

Long-Term Results and Why Keeping Up With It Matters

A big question for any weight loss help is whether the results last. The SURMOUNT 4 trial was set up to answer this. In this study, people first took Zepbound for 36 weeks. Then, they were randomly chosen to either keep taking Zepbound or switch to a placebo for another 52 weeks.

Key Things We Learned from SURMOUNT 4:

• Continuing Treatment: People who kept taking Zepbound after the first 36 weeks lost an extra 5.5% of their body weight, on average.
• Stopping Treatment: Those who switched to the placebo gained back about 14% of their body weight on average.

This study really shows that, like other treatments similar to what some people experience when they face weight plateaus or regains on Ozempic or deal with Mounjaro withdrawal symptoms, for ongoing health issues, Zepbound is meant for long-term use, and stopping the medicine will likely lead to gaining weight back.

Safety and Side Effects

The most common side effects of Zepbound affect the stomach and gut, similar to Ozempic that causes Bowel Obstruction and they are usually mild to moderate. These include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Stomach pain
• Indigestion

These side effects are most common when you start the medicine and when your dose goes up.

It’s important to know that Zepbound has a serious warning about the risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. It should not be used by people who have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or those with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2.

Final Words From Pandameds.Com

The clinical trial information for Zepbound (tirzepatide) shows it’s a very good medicine for weight loss. People without diabetes saw average weight reductions from 15% to over 20% of their body weight, and those with type 2 diabetes saw slightly less but still important amounts. A lot of users can expect to lose a meaningful amount of weight, with many getting results that used to only be seen with weight loss surgery.

The information also clearly points out that Zepbound is a long-term treatment. Stopping it is linked to gaining a lot of weight back. Just like with any prescription medicine, the choice to start Zepbound should be made after talking with a healthcare provider who can check your health and talk about the possible good points and risks.