Tirzepatide Before and After: Real Photos and Results by Month
In SURMOUNT-1, people on tirzepatide 15 mg weekly lost 20.9% of their body weight on average over 72 weeks, against 3.1% on placebo.
- Average loss, top dose
- 20.9%
- On placebo
- 3.1%
- Trial length
- 72 weeks
- Trial
- SURMOUNT-1
Zepbound overview
Its half-life is 5 to 6 days. After 5.5 d, half is gone, and about 3% remains after five half-lives (27.5 d).
In SURMOUNT-1, people lost 20.9% of body weight over 72 weeks, compared with 3.1% on placebo.
Monthly prices in US dollars include list prices and self-pay offers. Each comes from the maker's price page.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), Eli Lilly 1 2, cnbc.com.
Tirzepatide before and after: the numbers first
| Trial | Dose group | Average weight lost | Placebo or comparison | Weeks | Who was in it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SURMOUNT-1 | Tirzepatide 5 mg weekly | 15% | 3.1% | 72 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes |
| SURMOUNT-1 | Tirzepatide 10 mg weekly | 19.5% | 3.1% | 72 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes |
| SURMOUNT-1 | Tirzepatide 15 mg weekly | 20.9% | 3.1% | 72 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes |
| SURMOUNT-2 | Tirzepatide 10 mg weekly | 12.8% | 3.2% | 72 | Adults who have obesity or overweight and also have type 2 diabetes |
| SURMOUNT-2 | Tirzepatide 15 mg weekly | 14.7% | 3.2% | 72 | Adults who have obesity or overweight and also have type 2 diabetes |
| SURMOUNT-5 | Tirzepatide 10 or 15 mg weekly (Zepbound) | 20.2% | semaglutide (Wegovy) | 72 | Adults with obesity, without type 2 diabetes |
The sources are SURMOUNT-1 (FDA label (DailyMed)), SURMOUNT-2 (PubMed), and SURMOUNT-5 (PubMed).
Tirzepatide before and after: the numbers first
The trial's 20.9% average was applied across three starting weights. This is arithmetic only, not a prediction about any single person, since some lose more and some lose less.
| Starting weight | Average loss on tirzepatide 15 mg weekly | Average loss on placebo |
|---|---|---|
| 180 lb | about 38 lb | about 6 lb |
| 220 lb | about 46 lb | about 7 lb |
| 260 lb | about 54 lb | about 8 lb |
Source: FDA label (DailyMed).
Week by week
- At first, stomach side effects occur most often when the dose is low and being raised. After each dose increase, they often come back for a few days.
- SURMOUNT-1 ended at Week 72. It was the trial that produced the average loss displayed earlier.
Information comes from health.clevelandclinic.org and the FDA label (DailyMed).
Why a Stall Happens and What Helps
- See where you stand in the dose steps. In every trial above, lower doses produce less weight loss.
- Look back at the last month and count doses that were late or missed.
- Track what you eat and drink for a few days. As portions shrink, calories from drinks and grazing add up.
- If your progress has stalled for months, talk with your prescriber about changing medicines. Ask about checking your thyroid or blood sugar.