GLP-1-added hormone therapy may help with weight loss after menopause

Postmenopausal women lost about 35% of excess weight when using it Hormonal treatment for menopause combined with tirzepatide — an FDA-approved drug based on GLP-1 to treat overweight and obesity — compared to those taking the drug alone, according to a Mayo Clinic study.

The findings, published in February in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, highlight a potential new strategy to address postmenopausal weight gain, when hormonal shifts can increase the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease. Type 2 diabetes.

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“This study provides important insights for developing more effective and personalized strategies to manage cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal women,” Dr. Regina Castañeda, the study’s first author, said in a statement.

A new study found that postmenopausal women lost more weight when combining hormone therapy with a GLP-1-based drug. (Istock)

The researchers analyzed 120 Postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity Those who took tirzepatide for at least 12 months, including 40 people who also used hormone therapy and 80 people who did not.

Hormone therapy is commonly used to treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, while tirzepatide helps regulate appetite and blood sugar.

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Women in the hormone therapy group lost an average of 19.2% of their body weight, compared with 14.0% in the non-hormonal group — about a 35% increase in relative weight — with more women reaching significant weight loss thresholds, according to the study.

Despite the findings, researchers stressed that the study was observational and could not prove cause and effect.

Hormonal changes after menopause can increase weight gain and health risks. (Istock)

“Because this was not a randomized trial, we cannot say that hormone therapy caused the additional weight loss,” said Dr. Maria Daniela Hurtado Andrade, a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist and senior author of the study.

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Outside experts agree that the results should be interpreted with caution.

“As with all observational studies, we need to interpret this study with caution,” Dr. Gillian Goddard, a board-certified endocrinologist, told Fox News Digital.

Goddard, who is also an adjunct assistant professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, noted that the results show a link, but do not prove that hormone therapy, which typically includes estrogen, directly caused the additional weight loss.

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“There may be important differences between the two groups,” she added. “For one thing, the group taking estrogen may be healthier than groups that did not take estrogen…Healthier people are more likely to eat a healthy diet and exercise in addition to Take terzepatide. This can lead to more weight loss.”

According to researchers, Tirzepatide, a GLP-1-based drug, may be more effective for weight loss when combined with hormone therapy. (Istock)

Hurtado Andrade noted that the symptom relief from the treatment may also have led to improved sleep and well-being, making it easier for the group to maintain the diet and exercise regimen.

The researchers also pointed to a possible biological explanation. Preclinical data suggest that estrogen may enhance the appetite-suppressive effects of GLP-1-dependent drugs such as tirzepatide, according to the study.

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Goddard said the theory is plausible but unproven.

Hormone therapy may relieve menopausal symptoms and help women stay on track with diet and exercise. (Istock)

“Another possibility is that estrogen interacts with tirzepatide in some way making it more effective,” she said, adding: “We will need randomized studies to get a better handle on this.”

As for safety, experts say using the two together shows Safe for most women. However, hormone therapy is not recommended for all patients, especially those with a history of certain cancers, blood clots or other underlying health risks, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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Researchers say Future randomized trials They will aim to confirm the findings and explore whether the combination also improves cardiovascular health outcomes more broadly, according to the study.

Experts say more research is needed to confirm whether hormone therapy directly enhances weight loss results with GLP-1 drugs. (Istock)

“If this work is confirmed, it could accelerate the development and adoption of new evidence-based strategies to reduce this risk for millions of postmenopausal women going through this life stage,” Hurtado Andrade said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the study’s authors for comment.