A recent systematic review published in Annals of Internal Medicine on January 7 highlights the effectiveness of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in promoting weight loss for individuals with overweight or obesity who do not have diabetes.
The study, led by Areesha Moiz from McGill University in Montreal, reviewed the efficacy and safety of GLP-1 RAs and their co-agonists for treating obesity in healthy adults without diabetes. This review, which encompassed 26 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of 15,491 participants, examined the effects of 12 different agents—three commercially available and nine in premarket stages.
Among the agents studied, tirzepatide (administered at 15 mg once a week), semaglutide (2.4 mg weekly), and liraglutide (3.0 mg daily) demonstrated substantial weight loss after extended periods of treatment. Participants receiving tirzepatide experienced a reduction of up to 17.8% in body weight after 72 weeks, while semaglutide users lost 13.9% after 68 weeks, and liraglutide resulted in a 5.8% loss following 26 weeks of therapy. Additionally, retatrutide (12 mg once weekly) achieved up to 22.1% weight loss after 48 weeks. Other newer GLP-1 receptor agonists and combination agents also showed positive results.
While the treatments proved effective, adverse events were common, affecting between 80% and 97% of participants using GLP-1 RAs compared to 63% to 100% for those on placebo. Most of these side effects were gastrointestinal, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
The findings underscore the potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists as a viable treatment for individuals struggling with overweight or obesity but without diabetes. The authors concluded that these therapies represent a promising approach for weight management in this patient group.
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