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A recent study from the Mayo Clinic suggests that combining menopausal hormone therapy with the obesity drug tirzepatide may help postmenopausal women achieve greater weight loss than using the drug alone.
The research, published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health, examined 120 overweight or obese postmenopausal women who used tirzepatide for at least a year. Among them, 40 women also received hormone therapy, commonly prescribed for menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats.
Results showed that women on the combined treatment lost an average of 19.2% of their body weight, compared to 14.0% for those taking tirzepatide alone-a roughly 35% increase in relative weight loss. Additionally, more women in the hormone therapy group reached significant weight-loss milestones.
While promising, the researchers caution that this observational study cannot establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship between hormone therapy and increased weight loss. Dr. Maria Daniela Hurtado Andrade, senior author and endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, emphasized the need for randomized clinical trials to confirm these findings.
Experts outside the study also urged caution. Dr.
Gillian Goddard, an endocrinologist at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, noted that healthier lifestyle habits among hormone therapy users could partly explain the results. Improved symptom relief from hormone therapy might also enhance sleep and well-being, making it easier to maintain diet and exercise routines.
Biologically, preclinical evidence suggests estrogen may amplify the appetite-suppressing effects of GLP-1-based drugs like tirzepatide, though this remains unproven.
In terms of safety, the combined use appears generally safe for most women, but hormone therapy is not advised for those with certain health conditions such as a history of cancer or blood clots.
Looking ahead, researchers plan to conduct randomized trials to verify these results and to assess whether this combination therapy can also improve broader cardiometabolic health outcomes.
If confirmed, this approach could offer a valuable new strategy to help millions of postmenopausal women manage weight gain and reduce associated health risks.