Mounjaro & PCOS: Can It Help Manage Symptoms?

PCOS is a prevalent hormonal imbalance affecting about 1 in every 10 women in the UK. One common symptom of PCOS is weight gain. PCOS also increases the risk of health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and infertility.

Weight loss of 5% can lead to a noticeable improvement in PCOS and associated symptoms.

Can Mounjaro, an effective weight loss medication, help PCOS patients lose weight and manage associated symptoms? This article discusses Mounjaro and PCSO, including how Mounjaro may help manage PCOS and improve quality of life.

Understanding Mounjaro and PCOS

Mounjaro

Mounjaro is a prescription injectable medicine that contains the active ingredient tirzepatide. This medicine is licensed for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes and is used in conjunction with diet and exercise.

This medicine targets two hormones: glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). GLP-1 and GIP hormones are both released from the digestive tract when food is eaten. GLP-1 acts on the pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, and brain and heart. While GIP stimulates insulin secretion.

In weight management, Mounjaro works by regulating appetite and providing the feeling of fullness, reducing cravings, and helping you eat less food.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition affecting how the ovaries work. This health condition is a hormonal imbalance, where the ovaries produce high levels of androgens. There are three key features of PCOS:

• Polycystic ovaries: The ovaries become enlarged and contain many follicles (fluid-filled sacs) that surround the eggs, preventing their release during ovulation.
• Irregular periods: Abnormal menstruation involves not having a period at all, heavy bleeding during periods, or missing periods.
• Excess androgen: High levels of the male hormone androgen are present in the body. This may cause excess facial or body hair.

Symptoms of PCOS may include:

• Weight gain or obesity
• Irregular or no periods
• Difficulty falling pregnant due to irregular or no ovulation (infertility)
• Excessive hair growth (hirsutism)
• Oily skin or acne
• Darkening of the skin (acanthosis nigricans)
• Cysts
• Skin tags
• Thinning hair and hair loss from the head

PCOS may also increase the risk of developing health conditions such as:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Anxiety and depression
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Endometrial cancer
• Endometrial hyperplasia
• Cardiovascular disease
• Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea

The causes of PCOS

The exact cause of PCOS is not yet known; however, obesity, genetics, and other factors play a role in causing PCOS.

• High levels of androgens: Androgens are male hormones that, in high levels, prevent the ovaries from releasing eggs. This results in irregular periods. High androgen levels can also cause excess hair growth and acne.
• Low-grade inflammation: Those with PCOS tend to have chronic (long-term) low-grade inflammation.
• Insulin resistance: An increase in insulin causes the ovaries to produce and release androgens (male hormones). Increased androgen levels contribute to other symptoms of PCOS. Insulin resistance means the body no longer processes insulin correctly, leading to increased glucose levels in the blood. Insulin resistance is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Treatments for PCOS if you don't plan on becoming pregnant include:

• Lifestyle changes
• Hormonal birth control
• Medications to block androgens
• Insulin-sensitising medicine

Treatments for PCOS if you plan on becoming pregnant include:

• Drugs to induce ovulation
• In vitro fertilisation
• Surgery

How does Mounjaro help PCOS?

Mounjaro for PCOS weight loss

One way of coping with the symptoms of PCOS is to maintain a healthy weight. Weight loss can affect hormone levels, helping regulate your menstrual cycle. Weight loss of just 5% has been shown to improve PCOS.

Research shows the risk of developing PCOS-related health conditions (metabolic conditions) may be decreased by weight loss with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1) agonists. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a dual GLP-GIP receptor agonist that works very similarly to GLP-1 agonists.

Mounjaro was created to mimic the effects of the naturally occurring hormones GIP and GLP-1, which are released from the intestines. This medication helps control blood sugar levels by delaying gastric emptying, suppressing glucagon secretion, and increasing insulin secretion. It helps you feel fuller for longer and reduces the amount of food consumed.

A clinical trial showed patients taking 10mg of Mounjaro lost 17% of their starting body weight on average, while patients taking 5mg of Mounjaro lost 15% of their starting weight.

Considering the metabolic issues and weight gain that accompany PCOS, Mounjaro may be a beneficial tool for PCOS weight loss, helping patients who have obesity with metabolic syndrome.

Insulin sensitivity

In PCOS patients, insulin sensitivity is generally treated with lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise, with the end goal being weight management. Metformin is a biguanide medication typically prescribed alongside lifestyle modifications, such as improved diet and exercise. Metformin works by increasing the body’s sensitivity to insulin.

Mounjaro may be a possible alternative as it improves blood sugar levels and insulin resistance by increasing the amount of insulin in the pancreas when blood sugar levels rise. This ensures that blood sugar levels do not drop. Mounjaro also stops the liver from releasing glucagon (sugar) into the bloodstream.

Treating insulin resistance commonly associated with PCOS may help reduce or alleviate symptoms and improve PCOS.

Other benefits

Other benefits reported include:

• Lipid level reductions
• Regulated blood pressure
• Improvement of fasting insulin levels

Clinical evidence: Studies on Mounjaro and PCOS

Eli Lilly and Company, the manufacturer of Mounjaro, has not sponsored any clinical studies on the efficacy and safety of tirzepatide in patients with PCOS. However, patients with polycystic ovaries were not excluded from its phase 3 clinical development program.

While there is currently no clinical evidence on the effectiveness of Mounjaro as a treatment for PCOS, it’s hypothesised that it may have potential as a treatment option for PCOS.

Precautions and considerations for using Mounjaro for PCOS

Mounjaro and other weight loss medications are not yet approved for the treatment of PCOS and associated symptoms. All medicines have side effects and risks, even more so if taken off-label.

Common side effects of Mounjaro include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Bloating
• Reflux or heartburn
• Low blood pressure
• Low blood sugar
• Fatigue

Warnings and precautions for Mounjaro include:

• Risk of thyroid C-cell tumours
• Hypoglycemia (low blood pressure) in type 2 diabetes patients taking insulin or insulin secretagogues
• Severe gastrointestinal disease
• Diabetic retinopathy complications
• Acute gallbladder disease
• Pancreatitis
• Hypersensitivity reactions
• Acute kidney injury

It is also not currently known how Mounjaro impacts pregnancy and fetal development. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you plan on becoming pregnant.

Next steps: How to proceed with Mounjaro for PCOS

Mounjaro is licensed for the treatment of adults with obesity or excess weight with weight-related health conditions and adults with type 2 diabetes. In patients with obesity and PCOS, symptoms and risk factors for long-term health conditions can be significantly improved by losing at least 5% of their starting weight.

Mounjaro may help women with PCOS manage symptoms and reduce risk factors. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you’re interested in Mounjaro for PCOS.

During a free online consultation, Cloud Pharmacy can help you determine which weight loss treatment is best for you. If Mounjaro is the most appropriate treatment, we discreetly and safely deliver it to your UK address.

Click here to book a consultation with Cloud Pharmacy.

FAQs

What is the best weight loss medication for PCOS?

Medications that have been specifically studied in women with PCOS include Orlistat (Xenical) and Metformin.

Can weight loss injections help those that struggle with PCOS weight loss?

Studies show weight loss injections such as Mounjaro and Saxenda may help obese patients with PCOS lose weight. However, there are currently no clinical trials specifically for PCOS populations.

Do people with PCOS qualify for Ozempic?

Ozempic has not received MHRA approval for treating people with PCOS. To find out your treatment options, talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist about getting support with managing weight to alleviate PCOS symptoms.

Sources

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