Researchers reviewed existing studies to see if the medication tirzepatide could improve physical function for adults with overweight or obesity. They combined data from over 4,500 people, most of whom received weekly injections of tirzepatide at 10 mg or 15 mg doses. The studies measured physical function using standard patient questionnaires.
The analysis found that people taking tirzepatide reported better physical function scores compared to those taking a placebo. The improvement was seen on two different questionnaires. The researchers rated the overall certainty of this evidence as moderate.
A major reason for caution is that the studies included in this review were extremely different from each other. This high level of variation makes it difficult to draw a single, clear conclusion from the combined results. Safety information was not reported in this specific analysis.
This review suggests tirzepatide may help improve how people with overweight or obesity feel about their physical abilities. It is based on moderate-quality evidence from clinical trials. The findings are promising but not definitive due to significant differences between the original studies.