Jump to: What is osteoarthritis? | What is Mounjaro? | Why take Mounjaro if you have osteoarthritis? | Take home message
You can take Mounjaro (tirzepatide) if you have osteoarthritis, and recent research suggests it may offer significant benefits beyond weight loss.
A large-scale study found that Mounjaro reduced the risk of developing osteoarthritis by 43% compared to other weight-loss medications, Ozempic and Saxenda.
While no studies have directly investigated how Mounjaro affects existing osteoarthritis symptoms, the medication’s ability to support significant weight loss could help reduce joint stress and improve mobility in people living with the condition.
Due to the potential of Mounjaro to support people living with osteoarthritis and a higher BMI, randomised controlled trials are now underway to investigate the potential impact.
Hopefully, this new research can expand our understanding of the relationship between weight-loss injections and their potential benefits for people living with osteoarthritis and a higher BMI.
However, it’s important to note that rapid weight loss can sometimes lead to muscle mass and bone density reduction.
This potential risk of rapid weight loss on our bone health means that while taking Mounjaro with osteoarthritis, you should:
- Lose weight slowly at a rate of around 0.5-1lb per week
- Eat a diet based on whole foods that are rich in protein
- Each meal should contain at least 25-30% high-quality protein like meat, fish, seafood, dairy, tofu, or unsweetened protein powders
- Exercise 1-3 times a week, particularly strength training to encourage bone growth and repair
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a common joint condition when the protective cartilage at the ends of bones wears down over time. This wear and tear can lead to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility in the affected joints.
Osteoarthritis is the most common joint condition in the UK, affecting over 10 million people.
Women face a significantly higher risk of developing osteoarthritis than men, particularly after age 50, due to several biological factors.
The most significant is the decline in estrogen during menopause, which affects cartilage health, inflammation levels, and pain sensitivity. Additionally, women’s anatomical differences, such as distinct knee alignment angles and typically wider hips, can affect how force distributes through the joints during movement.
These factors combine with other considerations like differences in muscle mass, joint flexibility, and inflammatory responses to create unique challenges for women’s joint health.
Common symptoms of osteoarthritis include:
- Joint pain during or after movement
- Stiffness, especially in the morning or after being inactive
- Loss of flexibility in affected joints
- Swelling around the joints
- A grating sensation during joint movement
- Bone spurs (extra bits of bone) forming around the joint
The relationship between weight and osteoarthritis
Research demonstrates a complex and bidirectional relationship between body weight and osteoarthritis, particularly in weight-bearing joints like knees and hips.
Understanding this relationship helps explain why achieving a healthy weight is crucial for preventing and managing osteoarthritis.
The impact of excess weight on our joints works through two distinct but interconnected mechanisms:
1. Mechanical stress: Every additional kilogram of body weight increases the force on our knee joints by 2-3 times during daily activities. Research shows that for every 5kg of weight gain, the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis increases by 36%.
2. Metabolic effects: Body fat isn’t just passive tissue – it’s metabolically active and releases compounds into our bloodstream that affect our joint health.
These compounds, including proteins like leptin, IL-6, and TNF-α, can increase inflammation throughout the body and contribute to joint damage over time.
This dual impact helps explain why weight management is particularly important for joint health.
For example, research shows that maintaining a stable weight from young adulthood through midlife reduces the risk of developing arthritis by 74% compared to those who gain significant weight during this period.
However, it’s essential to understand that the relationship between weight and osteoarthritis isn’t simply about numbers on a scale.
The quality of our body composition – the ratio of muscle to fat – plays a crucial role in joint health.
You’re less likely to develop osteoarthritis if you have more muscle and exercise regularly. Strength training actively encourages new bone growth and improves bone density over time.
This is why any weight loss approach should focus on:
- Preserving muscle mass through adequate protein intake and strength training
- Reducing inflammation with a whole-food diet rich in protein, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and fat
- Getting quality sleep to support recovery and reduce inflammation
For individuals living with both conditions, this understanding highlights why a holistic approach to weight management – one that considers joint and muscle health and overall wellbeing – is more beneficial than focusing solely on weight loss.
What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is a dual-action weight-loss injection. It supports weight loss by mimicking two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, that communicate with the brain’s appetite control centre, the hypothalamus, to lower hunger and food-seeking behaviour.
The drug in Mounjaro is tirzepatide.
By lowering hunger and our desire to eat, Mounjaro helps us eat fewer calories to achieve a calorie deficit.
A calorie deficit occurs when we consume fewer calories than our body needs to fuel its essential functions, such as digestion, blood flow, and brain function.
By creating a calorie deficit, our bodies will ‘burn’ the excess fat stored for energy, and we’ll lose weight.
Mounjaro also slows down the rate at which we digest food so that our stomach and gut send signals to the brain to signal the feeling of fullness.
So, Mounjaro supports weight loss by making us feel less hungry through two mechanisms:
- Communicating with the brain’s appetite control centre
- Slowing the rate that food is digested
Randomised controlled trials have shown that Mounjaro leads to an average weight loss of around 26% after one year.
Why take Mounjaro if you have osteoarthritis?
Recent research has revealed several potential benefits of taking Mounjaro if you have osteoarthritis.
A recent study comparing different anti-obesity medications found that Mounjaro users had a 43% lower risk of developing osteoarthritis compared to those taking other medications like semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy).
This suggests that Mounjaro might offer protective effects against joint deterioration, though more research is needed to understand the exact mechanisms.
Research shows that Mounjaro leads to an average weight loss of 26% after one year. This significant weight loss can:
- Reduce pressure on weight-bearing joints
- Lower inflammation
- Improve mobility and physical function
While Mounjaro offers promising benefits, there are some important considerations:
- Rapid weight loss might affect bone density and muscle mass
- Common side effects include nausea and digestive issues. These are typically mild and transient and ease after a few weeks.
- Regular monitoring with your healthcare team is recommended
If you take Mounjaro with osteoarthritis, we recommend:
- Eating enough protein to maintain muscle mass
- Including strength training in your exercise routine
- Getting adequate calcium and vitamin D (vitamin D supplements should be taken in the winter)
- Monitoring your symptoms with your healthcare team
- Making gradual lifestyle changes and losing weight slowly (0.5-1lb per week)
Take home message
Mounjaro can be taken safely with osteoarthritis and may offer benefits through weight loss and potential disease-modifying effects like lower inflammation.
However, success depends on careful monitoring and a comprehensive approach to joint health, including a healthy diet rich in protein and adequate exercise.
Second Nature’s medication programmes
Second Nature has two medication-supported programmes: a Wegovy weight-loss programme and a Mounjaro weight-loss programme.
Why should you choose Second Nature over other medication providers if you’ve decided to try Mounjaro or Wegovy (assuming you’re eligible)?
For peace of mind.
Second Nature has worked with the NHS for over 6 years, providing weight-loss programmes across the UK.
While our Wegovy and Mounjaro weight-loss programmes are private and not currently used by the NHS, we’ve built the programmes focusing on scientific evidence, patient safety, and data security.
We hope that our 6+ years of working with the NHS and building a track record of effective weight-loss results will give you peace of mind to give us a try.
