New research suggests that women facing weight gain after menopause might benefit from combining hormone therapy with certain obesity medications. A study by the Mayo Clinic indicated that these women experienced around 35 percent more weight loss when they used menopausal hormone therapy alongside tirzepatide, a GLP-1-based drug approved for overweight and obesity, compared to those who only took the medication.
Published in February in *The Lancet, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health*, the study presents promising avenues for addressing weight gain in postmenopausal women, who often have an increased risk for obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes due to hormonal changes.
“This study highlights important considerations for creating more individualized approaches to manage cardiometabolic health in postmenopausal women,” commented Dr. Regina Castaneda, the study’s lead author.
The researchers assessed 120 overweight or obese postmenopausal women who had been on tirzepatide for at least a year. Of these individuals, 40 received hormone therapy, while the remaining 80 did not.
Hormone therapy is often used to relieve menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats; tirzepatide, on the other hand, assists in regulating appetite and blood sugar levels.
The findings showed that participants in the hormone therapy group lost an average of 19.2% of their body weight, compared to 14.0% in the non-hormone therapy group. The relative weight loss was about 35% greater, and a higher number of individuals in the hormone therapy group achieved significant weight loss milestones.
However, researchers caution that since the study was observational, it does not establish a definitive cause-and-effect relationship.
“This is not a randomized trial, so we cannot definitively state that hormone therapy resulted in additional weight loss,” Dr. Maria Daniela Hurtado Andrade, an endocrinologist and lead author, explained.
Others in the field emphasize that the results should be interpreted carefully. Dr. Gillian Goddard, a board-certified endocrinologist, noted that while the associations are interesting, they do not confirm that hormone therapy directly leads to enhanced weight loss. She raised the possibility that the women on hormone therapy might be overall healthier and, therefore, more likely to maintain a nutritious diet and exercise regimen.
Interestingly, the study posits that estrogen could enhance the appetite-suppressing effects of GLP-1-based medications, but such ideas remain speculative for now.
“It’s possible that estrogen interacts with tirzepatide, amplifying its effects,” Dr. Goddard remarked, emphasizing that randomized studies are needed for further clarity.
Safety considerations suggest that, generally, hormone therapy and tirzepatide seem to be safe for most women when used together. Nevertheless, hormone therapy may not be suitable for everyone, particularly those with a history of certain cancers or blood clots.
The future research aims to further validate these findings and explore whether the combination could also improve overall cardiometabolic health outcomes.
If supported, this research could lead to new, evidence-based strategies for the millions of postmenopausal women experiencing this life stage, Dr. Hurtado-Andrade noted.
