The Independent Pharmacy

Understanding Appetite Changes On Mounjaro

Scott McDougall
Scott McDougall
MPharm GPhC 2079324
Director & Registered Manager

Mounjaro is designed to help you lose weight by reducing your appetite and making you feel fuller for longer. This may help you to eat less and stop you reaching for fatty or sugary snacks between meals.

Most people will experience appetite changes on Mounjaro weight loss jabs. However, these changes won’t be the same for everyone. Some people may find that their interest in food disappears almost completely, while others may still be tempted to overindulge, especially if their overeating was caused by emotional triggers.

Learning the new hunger signals your body sends out should help you adjust your diet and only eat when you really need to. Focusing on good nutrition will also help you to feel fuller, more energetic and more motivated.

Key Takeaways

1 | Appetite changes vary between individuals, but typically begin within days

2 | Understanding new hunger signals helps optimise meal timing

3 | Proper nutrition remains essential despite reduced appetite

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How Mounjaro Changes Your Appetite

Mounjaro contains an ingredient called tirzepatide. When tirzepatide is injected into your system, it mimics two hormones (GLP-1 and GIP) that are naturally produced by the body.

When you eat, these hormones trigger receptors in your brain that tell you you’re full. By copying these hormones, Mounjaro can trick your brain into suppressing your appetite. The medication also slows the passage of food through your digestive system, making you feel fuller for longer.

However, it’s important to remember that for many people, overeating can be a psychological issue, since many people turn to food when they are hungry, upset or stressed. So, while Mounjaro could help you to feel less hungry, it may not help with emotional eating, and you could still feel tempted by unhealthy foods.

In most cases, people taking Mounjaro will notice a drop in appetite within a few days of taking their first dose, though for others it could take weeks to feel any real change. You may still feel hungry on Mounjaro for the first few weeks as the medication builds to a stable level in your system.

Recognising New Hunger Signals

It’s important to understand how Mounjaro affects eating patterns and hunger signals. Most people find the medication minimises hunger and reduces their appetite. However, it can’t prevent you from reaching for the fridge if you’re an emotional eater and you experience a trigger. So, if you’ve been overeating because of stress, anxiety, depression or habit, you may need to learn to distinguish between true hunger and emotional hunger signals.

The most common true hunger signals include:

  • lack of energy
  • shakiness
  • trouble focusing
  • headaches
  • irritability

It can take time for your body and mind to adjust. Until it does, it could be a good idea to stick to regular eating patterns and healthy, balanced meals. This will ensure you’re getting the nutrition you need and should help to stop unnecessary snacking.

Overweight smiling man

Maintaining Proper Nutrition

Mounjaro suppresses your appetite which may help you to reduce the amount of food you eat. So, it’s essential that the meals you do choose contain lots of different nutrients to ensure you’re getting all of the vitamins and minerals that you need to be healthy.

It’s often easier to eat well when you cook meals from scratch. If you don’t have time to cook every night, try to prepare food in batches and freeze portions for later in the week. Planning your meals in advance may also help to keep your diet balanced and healthy.

When taking Mounjaro, it’s a good idea to avoid ultra-processed foods and meals that are high in fat and sugar. These types of foods don’t contain a lot of nutritional value, so you may find you feel hungry between meals, even when you’re taking Mounjaro

Mounjaro Weight Loss Injections
Mounjaro Weight Loss Injections
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Managing Appetite Changes Long-Term

During the first few months of treatment, your doctor will slowly increase the amount of Mounjaro you take up to a maximum of 15 mg. You may find your appetite decreases a little more every time your dose goes up.

Once your doctor has established your maintenance dose (the highest dose of Mounjaro that’s safe or suitable for you) you’ll stick at this level long term.

Though your maintenance dose could help to control your appetite, you’ll still need to ensure you eat well and get plenty of vitamins and minerals. Establishing healthy eating patterns at this point will help you to achieve your goals and keep the weight off longer term.

It is essential that you speak to a licensed medical professional before starting any weight loss medication. They can provide personalised, expert guidance, assess potential risks and ensure that your chosen treatment is safe and suitable for your health needs.

Experiencing a pronounced drop in appetite can be strange, especially if you’ve been struggling with your weight for a long time. Knowing what to expect could help you adjust to your new appetite and achieve your weight loss targets.

To find out more about the first few weeks of weight loss treatment, take a look at our first month on Mounjaro guide. Alternatively, if you’re ready to take control of your health and get your weight loss journey underway, we’re here to help. 

A discreet, free consultation takes only three minutes. Once the consultation is complete, our team will recommend the most appropriate weight loss treatment for you and give you all the information you need to get started.

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Sources:

https://www.secondnature.io/guides/lifestyle/glp1s/still-hungry-on-mounjaro

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/drugs-mounjaro-peak-time#summary

https://www.pharmacyplanet.com/blog/post/mounjaro-and-appetite-suppression-understanding-its-powerful-effects

https://www.secondnature.io/guides/lifestyle/glp1s/still-hungry-on-mounjaro?srsltid=AfmBOopVbuz17PkekKbI_tFb93S3cKsCwEviXgtyT5r7v1FWQODvSYum

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/mounjaro#:~:text=The%20active%20substance%20in%20Mounjaro,others%2C%20the%20pancreas%20and%20brain

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Scott McDougall

Authored by

Scott McDougall
Scott McDougall
MPharm
2079324
Director & Registered Manager

Scott is one of the two founders of The Independent Pharmacy. He is a registered pharmacist and the registered manager of our service with the CQC.

Daniel Hurley

Reviewed by

Daniel Hurley
Daniel Hurley
MPharm IP
2078790
Pharmacist Independent Prescriber

Dan is an experienced pharmacist having spent time working in both primary and secondary care. He currently supports our clinical team by providing robust clinical governance review of our internal processes and information.