What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide, an injectable prescription medication used to help manage blood glucose levels in adults with type 2 diabetes [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. This prescription mimics GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonists and works to stop the hunger hormone from letting ghrelin run (high GIP and high GLP-1) [1, 5, 6, 7, 8].
What does Mounjaro do?
Mounjaro, for instance, decreases blood sugar levels by increasing insulin secretion in the body and slowing down sugar generated in the liver [2, 8]. It also delays gastric emptying, causing you to feel full for an extended time [1, 2]. With insulin secretion and glucagon decrease (responsible for glucose generation by the liver), blood glucose levels come down in people suffering from type 2 diabetes [8].
Beyond treatment for type 2 diabetes, Mounjaro is likely to be prescribed off-label to patients with obesity as a weight loss medicine [1, 4]. It is worth noting that Mounjaro is not approved for weight loss, which is an off-label use [4].
Benefits of Mounjaro
Approved as a prescription for adults with type 2 diabetes, tirzepatide (marketed as Mounjaro) is used with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar [3].
One of Mounjaro's biggest benefits is that it lowers blood sugar by making the body produce more insulin, slowing down sugar production in the liver, and delaying food from emptying from the stomach, which can help you feel full for longer [2].
Mounjaro also imitates the action of some hormones within you, such as glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, which contribute to feelings of fullness and stimulate the secretion of insulin for better blood sugar regulation [1].
Mounjaro not only helps to control your blood sugar but also helps you lose weight. Clinical trials demonstrated that the higher dose of 15 milligrams per week provided the most weight loss (compared with other rival medications), at nearly an 8% excess weight loss [9]. This weight loss comes from incretins stimulating your body to release insulin, reducing appetite, reducing food intake, and keeping you fuller for longer [9].
Mounjaro is also prescribed off-label for obesity for weight-loss purposes. When used for weight loss, Mounjaro reduces your appetite, which leads to eating fewer calories and losing weight [4].
Can Mounjaro Cause Body Aches?
While body aches are not explicitly linked to Mounjaro in the studies of this medicine for type II diabetes [2, 3], Mounjaro can cause other conditions, which might present with body pain in particular areas.
One such condition is pancreatitis, which results from inflammation of the pancreas and leads to abdominal and/or back pain; for starters, that doesn’t go away and sometimes vomiting as well [2, 3].
The second is gallbladder problems, another side-effect of Mounjaro but itself a possible cause of abdominal pain, which otherwise has as common symptoms fever, nausea and vomiting [2].
If you develop aches or pains while using Mounjaro, you should contact your doctor immediately. They can assess the ailment and the best form of treatment [2].