Managing your weight while juggling other PCOS symptoms like irregular periods and excess body hair can feel overwhelming. If your PCOS is causing you to struggle with your weight, you're not alone, and there are new treatment options that may help, such as Mounjaro (tirzepatide), a type of medication originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, now commonly prescribed for weight loss.
In this article, we'll explain how Mounjaro may help with PCOS, the science behind its effects, and how it could fit into a wider plan for managing symptoms and improving overall health.
What is PCOS?
PCOS is a condition that is caused by imbalance of reproductive hormones. It affects one in 10 women of childbearing age and includes symptoms like:
- Irregular periods or no periods at all
- Hair growth
- Hair thinning or loss
- Weight gain
- Acne or oily skin
- Trouble getting pregnant
Not everyone will have the same symptoms, or experience them in the same severity. To be diagnosed with PCOS, you need to meet two out of three of these conditions:
- Irregular periods
- Blood tests indicating high levels of androgens—sex hormones generally associated with men
- Polycystic ovaries—you’d know this via an ultrasound scan showing enlarged ovaries and fluid-filled sacs (follicles) surrounding the eggs
We still don’t know what actually causes PCOS. It’s often genetic, and it’s thought that hormonal imbalances, like an excess of androgens could be a main cause. Androgens can prevent the ovaries from ovulating (releasing an egg) and cause hair growth, acne, and increased appetite.
It may also be down to high levels of insulin, a hormone that regulates and controls the body’s sugar levels (glucose). Lots of people with PCOS are ‘insulin resistant’, meaning their bodies don’t react as they should to insulin, so they produce higher levels of insulin to try and overcome it.
Being overweight can increase the amount of insulin your body produces, so losing weight can better regulate your blood sugar levels. But insulin resistance makes it hard to lose weight because the body stores excess blood sugar as fat. Seems like a never ending cycle, right?
That’s where Mounjaro comes in.
How does Mounjaro help PCOS?
So you’re probably wondering, “is Mounjaro good for PCOS”? It might be. Mounjaro doesn’t specifically treat PCOS, but the weight loss gained from Mounjaro can help improve your PCOS symptoms. Insulin resistance is also a main symptom of type 2 diabetes. Mounjaro was originally developed as a drug to treat type 2 diabetes to manage glucose control, and now research has developed to suggest that Mounjaro can also help some people with PCOS and it's safe for weight loss as well.
Normally when we eat, natural hormones called GIP and GLP-1 are released by our gut. The active ingredient in Mounjaro, tirzepatide, mimics these natural hormones by activating the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Mounjaro can help to suppress your appetite by slowing digestion and making you feel fuller for longer, reducing hunger and cravings.
Mounjaro for PCOS weight loss
Weight gain is a common symptom of PCOS, which increases the likelihood of developing other conditions like type 2 diabetes. Weight gain can also impact how regularly you have a period or ovulate — in some cases, people with PCOS might not ovulate at all (called anovulation).
This is why weight loss is often recommended as a first-line treatment—even a modest weight loss of 5% of body weight has been shown in studies to significantly improve PCOS symptoms, including restoring more regular menstrual cycles, improving ovulation, reducing androgen levels (which cause symptoms like acne and excess hair growth), and lowering the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
However, achieving and maintaining weight loss with PCOS can be particularly challenging. This is where Mounjaro (tirzepatide) may offer valuable support. Mounjaro can aid in weight loss by:
- Slowing down digestion, which helps you feel fuller for longer and reduces the urge to overeat
- Suppressing appetite and cravings by mimicking gut hormones involved in regulating hunger
- Improving blood sugar control, which reduces insulin spikes that can otherwise promote fat storage and weight gain
By helping to address some of the metabolic drivers of weight gain in PCOS, Mounjaro can facilitate the kind of sustainable weight loss that leads to meaningful improvements in reproductive health, hormonal balance, and overall wellbeing.
Mounjaro for insulin resistance in PCOS
As we mentioned earlier, insulin resistance affects a large proportion of those with PCOS. Mounjaro helps improve insulin sensitivity, which could improve PCOS symptoms such as skin issues and menstrual irregularities.
Mounjaro for fertility in PCOS
PCOS can cause irregular ovulation or even anovulation (lack of ovulation), making it harder to conceive. Carrying excess weight and having a higher BMI can also negatively impact fertility, further disrupt hormonal balance, and cause irregular cycles.
If you’re hoping to have a baby in the future, Mounjaro might have the added benefit of helping you fall pregnant more easily. By promoting weight loss and improving insulin sensitivity, Mounjaro can result in secondary benefits such as helping restore ovulation, leading to more regular periods and potentially improved fertility. It’s important to note that you must stop Mounjaro at least 1 month before trying to conceive.
On the flip side, if you’re trying to avoid pregnancy, using Mounjaro can actually make your contraceptive pill less effective. So you will need to use another non-oral contraception method, like the IUD or condoms. If you are pregnant, you should not use Mounjaro.
Other potential benefits of Mounjaro for PCOS
There are limited studies on the direct benefits of Mounjaro for PCOS, and while the randomised control trials that have been conducted for similar medications have shown that these drugs do have a positive impact on weight loss, the studies were small. Further research into managing obesity in PCOS specifically is needed.
But the benefits of Mounjaro for PCOS could include:
- Weight loss
- Reduced cravings
- Better insulin sensitivity
- Reduced inflammation
- Better heart health
- Improved self esteem
How long do you need to take Mounjaro to see results?
Other weight loss drugs, like Wegovy, also work in the same way to mimic the hormone GLP-1. But because tirzepatide mimics two hormones instead of one, it’s more potent than other weight loss medications. One study showed greater weight loss by participants taking tirzepatide over semaglutide. But weight loss medications aren’t a short-term solution. They’re meant to supplement healthy lifestyle changes, and for best results, most people will need to take them for over a year.
Mounjaro starts working immediately, but it can take a few weeks before you notice your appetite reducing or any significant weight loss. You’ll start on the lowest dose, but some people may need higher doses to get the best results, and that's completely normal too. Your Voy coach and clinical team will help you find the right dose for your weight loss goal.
Mounjaro and PCOS: Potential side effects
You might be wondering “is Mounjaro safe for PCOS?”. Like all medications, Mounjaro can come with side effects. So it’s important to familiarise yourself with these before you start your treatment journey. In most cases, Mounjaro side effects are mild and manageable. They can include gut-related symptoms like diarrhoea, nausea, burping and constipation.
Side effects support at Voy
"If you're using Voy and you experience any side effects, rest assured that our expert clinicians are just a message or phone call away. They can adjust your dose, prescribe medication to ease your symptoms, or simply offer reassurance.
Everyone responds differently to weight loss treatment and we'll help you find what feels right for you."
Can Mounjaro be prescribed for PCOS in the UK?
While Mounjaro isn't specifically approved for PCOS, it might help with weight management, which can often be challenging if you have the condition. While Mounjaro is available on the NHS, GPs currently only prescribe it for people with the highest clinical need—those with a BMI of 40 or more with at least four weight-related health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, abnormal blood fats and obstructive sleep apnoea. So you'll likely need to seek out a private medical service to secure a prescription. To be prescribed Mounjaro for weight loss, if you have a diagnosis of PCOS, you’ll need to have a BMI of 27 or more. If you’re already at a healthy BMI, you won’t be able to use Mounjaro.
It’s important to consult a medical professional before using Mounjaro to understand the side effects as well as benefits. This is especially true if you are taking any other medications, as it could make them less effective. Good news for those who already take metformin, as you can take it alongside Mounjaro with no issues.
Starting a weight management plan for Mounjaro with PCOS
Losing just 5% of your body weight can lead to a noticeable improvement in PCOS symptoms. One clinical trial showed that patients taking 10mg of tirzepatide lost 17% of their body weight on average during the 72-week study, while patients taking 5mg of tirzepatide lost 15%. However, for long-lasting weight loss, building a healthy relationship with food and exercise alongside Mounjaro is essential.
Not sure where to start? Voy’s personalised programme combines clinically proven medication and lifestyle coaching to help you achieve your weight loss goals and stick to them.
Your PCOS and weight loss journey
We know the hours of research that go into finding a new medication to help manage a medical condition. It’s long, often confusing, and can feel like a gamble when there’s money involved. Choosing a weight loss programme comes down to your personal needs and preferences. But here’s how Voy compares to other providers, if you’re wondering.
If you’ve tried countless diets and exercise routines that just haven’t worked how you’d have liked, weight loss injections like Mounjaro might be a well-suited next step of your PCOS symptom management. To find out if our weight loss programme is for you, take a few minutes to fill out this short quiz, and our team of experts will be in touch with personalised advice to help you reach your goals.
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