According to a study, treatment with tirzepatide reduces body weight and improves glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Furthermore, it affects metabolites linked to T2D risk and metabolic dysregulation, indicating enhanced metabolic health.
Image: Diabetes Patient Getting Blood Sugar Test | InStyleHealth |
Over the course of 26 weeks, 259 T2D patients were
randomly assigned to receive weekly subcutaneous tirzepatide (1, 5, 10, 15 mg),
dulaglutide (1.5 mg), or placebo. Post hoc exploratory metabolomics and
lipidomics, as well as post hoc analyses, were done by the researchers. They
compared changes in metabolic levels in response to tirzepatide to baseline
levels, dulaglutide, and placebo using multiplicity correction.
At 26 weeks, a larger dose of tirzepatide controlled a
group of metabolites and lipids linked to insulin resistance (IR), obesity, and
T2D risk. Direct catabolic products glutamate, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate,
branched-chain ketoacids, and indirect byproducts all decreased when compared
to baseline and placebo.
Tirzepatide caused much more changes than dulaglutide,
and decreases in HbA1c, homeostatic model assessment 2-IR indices, and
proinsulin levels were exactly proportionate. Triglycerides and diglycerides
declined in proportion to metabolite alterations in comparison to baseline,
dulaglutide, and placebo, with a bias toward shorter and highly saturated
species.
"When compared to the glucagon-like peptide 1
receptor agonist dulaglutide, tirzepatide significantly lowered HbA1c and body
weight in [individuals] with T2D," the researchers wrote. "Enhanced glycemic
management was linked to decreased circulating triglycerides and lipoprotein
indicators, as well as improved beta-cell function and IR markers, results that
were only partially due to weight loss."