Zepbound and Mounjaro may turn on the body’s calorie-burning brown fat

Tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound, activated calorie-burning brown fat in obese mice, revealing a potential metabolic effect beyond appetite suppression. If confirmed in humans, the finding could help explain the drug’s powerful benefits and inspire more comprehensive treatments for obesity and diabetes. Zepbound and Mounjaro may turn on the body’s calorie-burning brown fat.

A study in mice now suggests that the drug may improve metabolism directly by activating brown adipose tissue, a form of fat that specializes in using energy. According to the researchers, the findings provide new clues about how tirzepatide works and could help guide the development of broader treatments for obesity and other metabolic disorders. The research was led by Marion Peyrou, Ramón y Cajal researcher at the Faculty of Biology and the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), the Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute (IRSJD) and the CIBER in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN).

Tirzepatide Targets Two Hormone Receptors Tirzepatide (generic name of the drug Mounjaro) is approved for weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with comorbidities, as well as for treating poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus. Unlike some other obesity medications, tirzepatide targets the receptors for two hormonal factors at the same time: GIP and GLP-1. This dual mechanism can produce substantial weight loss, largely because the drug reduces food intake.