Real-world GLP-1 results: what we’re seeing and what it means

Interest in GLP-1 medicines has been almost unstoppable over the past few years. These medicines are often in the headlines, but not always for the right reasons or in the most balanced light. We still have a lot of work to do when it comes to society’s attitude to body weight, but more on that another day.

At Oxford Online Pharmacy, we speak to patients every day who have questions and worries about what to expect from GLP-1 medicines. Some of the most common beliefs we hear are:

• You have to get to the highest dose to lose meaningful amounts of weight
• A higher dose means faster weight loss
• Constant nausea or having no appetite is how a GLP-1 works
• Feeling hungry means the medicine isn’t working

There’s truth in parts of these, but also a lot of misunderstanding. To help cut through the noise, we looked at what’s actually happening with our patients.

What we did

We reviewed a sample of 100 patients prescribed tirzepatide (Mounjaro) with us and looked at their current BMI, their weight change and what dose they were using. We were looking for any interesting patterns or insights.

This is a retrospective, sample snapshot from our day-to-day care setting, the patients were selected randomly.

We acknowledge that, although selected randomly, these patients might not have been representative of all patients in our care and that 100 is a relatively small sample size. These patients were also at different places in their GLP-1 treatment.

What we found

1. People don’t need to be on the highest dose
   • We found that meaningful weight loss happens at all doses and that the highest average percentage weight loss was not at the maximum dose. Some of the most significant outcomes were observed in patients using the mid-strength 7.5mg dose.
2. The amount of weight people lose varies and that’s normal
   • We saw that some people had lost more weight than others and on different timescales, this reflects what we expected and what see every day in practice. We also saw that everyone had lost weight, no one had stayed the same or gained weight.

Why we’re sharing this

GLP-1 medicines can be a powerful tool for improving health through weight management, but they’re not a quick fix. Real success looks different for everyone and for most, the greatest benefits of treatment are not a person’s body weight but more energy, better sleep and a more balanced relationship with food.

But these medicines work best when people feel informed, supported, and safe. That’s why we’re sharing this real-world data. It helps to replace fear or unrealistic expectations with something more honest: a picture of how people are using GLP-1s in daily life, and what’s actually happening as a result.

We’ll keep listening to our patients. We’ll keep monitoring outcomes. And we’ll keep sharing what we learn, because that’s how we help people make confident, informed decisions.

If you’d like to explore the full results of our patient snapshot, you can read the full study.

If you’re considering treatment or just want to understand more, we have the resources to help.