Health
Study directly compares Zepbound and Wegovy for weight-loss results
Weight-loss medications continue to grow in popularity as an anti-obesity tool — but are some more effective than others?
The question was explored in a new study published this month in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Researchers compared the safety and efficacy of tirzepatide (brand name Zepbound) and semaglutide (brand name Wegovy) in a 72-week clinical trial.
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The randomized, controlled trial — called SURMOUNT-5 — included 751 people throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico who had obesity but not type 2 diabetes.
“Doctors, insurance companies and patients are always asking, ‘Which drug is more effective?’” said Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center and the Sanford I. Weill Professor of Metabolic Research at Weill Cornell Medicine, in the release. “This study allowed us to do a direct comparison.”
Researchers compared the safety and efficacy of tirzepatide (brand name Zepbound) and semaglutide (brand name Wegovy) in a 72-week clinical trial. (iStock)
“The results are consistent with — in fact, almost identical to — what we’ve seen in trials in which these drugs were evaluated independently,” added Aronne, who was a principal investigator in the trial.
The study found that tirzepatide achieved greater weight loss, with participants shedding about 50 pounds (20.2% of their body weight).
“Doctors, insurance companies and patients are always asking, ‘Which drug is more effective?’”
The group taking semaglutide lost an average of 33 pounds or 13.7% of their baseline weight, according to a press release summarizing the study outcome.
Overall, 32% of the people taking tirzepatide lost at least 25% of their body weight; semaglutide users lost around 16%.
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Tirzepatide users also reported a “greater reduction in waist circumference” than those on semaglutide.
The likely reason for tirzepatide’s greater effectiveness is that it uses a “dual mechanism of action,” according to Aronne.
The randomized, controlled trial — called SURMOUNT-5 — included 751 people in the U.S. and Puerto Rico who had obesity but not type 2 diabetes. (Steve Christo – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
“Whereas semaglutide works by activating receptors for a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1, or GLP-1, tirzepatide mimics not only GLP-1, but also an additional hormone, glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP),” the release stated.
“Together, these actions reduce hunger, lower blood-glucose levels and affect fat cell metabolism.”
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Additional trials are actively exploring whether tirzepatide also reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, a benefit that has been linked to semaglutide.
The study was led by an investigator at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian. It was also conducted with the University of Texas McGovern Medical School, the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, the University College Dublin and Eli Lilly (maker of Zepbound).
The study found that tirzepatide achieved greater weight loss, with participants shedding about 50 pounds (20.2% of their body weight). (iStock)
The participants all received guidance regarding nutrition and exercise.
The reported side effects were very similar for the two drugs, with 44% of people experiencing nausea and 25% having abdominal pain.
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Dr. Ada Londono, M.D., a board-certified obesity and internal medicine primary care physician with PlushCare — a virtual health platform offering primary care, therapy and weight management services — said she was not surprised by the study’s findings.
“The results are consistent with prior trials, confirming tirzepatide’s advantage over semaglutide’s single GLP-1 action,” Londono, who is based in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
Beyond weight loss, semaglutide has also shown potential benefits for cardiovascular health, sleep apnea and kidney disease. (iStock)
Beyond weight loss, semaglutide has also shown potential benefits for cardiovascular health, sleep apnea and kidney disease, she noted.
“These findings highlight the need for continued research to understand tirzepatide’s broader health impacts,” she said. “It’s encouraging to see ongoing studies exploring the full potential of GLP-1 medications beyond weight management.”
Londono said these treatments can come with side effects.
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“Most people on these medications only report mild symptoms, but some have experienced more serious reactions, such as pancreatitis,” she told Fox News Digital.
“This underscores the importance of reviewing your medical history and discussing any concerns with your healthcare provider.”
Potential limitations
The study did have some limitations — chiefly that it was not a blinded analysis and participants knew which medication they were receiving. This could introduce some level of bias, the researchers acknowledged.
Londono pointed out that while the study’s findings are “promising,” it was funded by Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Zepbound.
“This may raise questions about potential conflicts of interest,” she said. “Additionally, the open-label design and 72-week duration may limit objectivity and long-term insight.”
An expert emphasized that people should work with a physician to choose a weight-loss medication that matches personal goals and health status. (iStock)
While the study primarily looked at the impact of the medications, experts agreed there are other factors that play a role in successful weight management.
“Weight loss is biological, but it’s also emotional, and whole-person support can make the difference between short-term results and sustainable health,” Dr. Rekha Kumar, chief medical officer at the weight care program Found and a practicing endocrinologist in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
Kumar emphasized the importance of working with a physician to choose a weight-loss medication that matches the patient’s personal goals and health status.
“Both Wegovy and Zepbound have demonstrated clinically significant weight reduction.”
“For example, if a patient has fatty liver, we will choose the GLP-1 that is proven to work best for liver disease,” she said.
Looking ahead, the researchers plan to investigate new versions of weight-loss drugs, including retatrutide, which mimics the hormones GLP-1, GIP and glucagon, according to the release.
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“Even though drugs like tirzepatide and semaglutide work really well, better than anything we have ever seen, we still have people who don’t respond to them,” said Aronne.
“So, moving forward, we want to keep trying to do better.”
“Across the respective clinical trial programs and in SURMOUNT-5, both Wegovy and Zepbound have demonstrated clinically significant weight reduction,” Novo Nordisk, maker of Wegovy, said in a statement. (iStock)
A spokesperson from Novo Nordisk, the company that makes Wegovy (semaglutide), sent a statement to Fox News Digital.
“Across the respective clinical trial programs and in SURMOUNT-5, both Wegovy and Zepbound have demonstrated clinically significant weight reduction,” the company said. “It is important to recognize that the comprehensive management of obesity goes beyond weight reduction alone.”
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The spokesperson also pointed out that in a previous trial, adults who were obese or overweight and who took Wegovy along with diet and exercise lost an average of 15.2% of their weight (~35 pounds) at the two-year mark, compared with 2.6% (~6 pounds) for patients taking a placebo.
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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