How Much Weight Can You Lose on Tirzepatide? SURMOUNT Trial Results
What SURMOUNT trials found about tirzepatide weight changes, how study populations differ, and why trial averages cannot predict an individual result.
Published by Trimi Editorial Team. This article summarizes published research. It is not a clinical review or personal treatment advice. Sources checked October 26, 2026 (UTC).
SURMOUNT-1 studied 2,539 adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related complication, without diabetes over 72 weeks, including dose escalation. In its treatment-regimen analysis, the 15 mg tirzepatide group had an average 20.9% body-weight reduction, compared with 3.1% with placebo. This is a published study result, not a personal prediction or evidence of Trimi patient outcomes. Read SURMOUNT-1.
More on GLP-1 Results & Effectiveness
Tirzepatide Weight Loss Results: Clinical Overview
Full breakdown of tirzepatide outcomes across the SURMOUNT trial program.
Tirzepatide Before and After: Evidence and Limits
Read the related tirzepatide before-and-after article.
How Much Weight Can You Lose on Semaglutide?
STEP trial data and weight loss expectations for semaglutide.
Semaglutide Results Timeline: Month by Month
Related discussion of semaglutide results over time.
What the SURMOUNT trials measured
The SURMOUNT studies examined different questions in different participant groups. The results below describe the study treatments and populations; they are not forecasts for an individual patient or evidence of Trimi treatment outcomes. The study medicines were given once weekly by subcutaneous injection. Listed doses are trial target or maximum tolerated doses, not starting-dose instructions.
SURMOUNT trial results by population and study phase
| Study | Participants and design | Measurement interval | Reported group result |
|---|---|---|---|
| SURMOUNT-1 | 2,539 adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related complication, without diabetes; randomized to tirzepatide target doses of 5, 10 or 15 mg or placebo. | Baseline to 72 weeks, including dose escalation. | Mean reduction of 15.0%, 19.5% and 20.9%, respectively; placebo 3.1%. |
| SURMOUNT-2 | 938 adults with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes; randomized to tirzepatide target doses of 10 or 15 mg or placebo. | Baseline to 72 weeks, including dose escalation. | Mean reduction of 12.8% and 14.7%, respectively; placebo 3.2%. |
| SURMOUNT-3 | 579 adults with obesity or overweight without diabetes, randomized after losing at least 5% during a 12-week intensive lifestyle phase; tirzepatide 10 or 15 mg maximum tolerated dose or placebo. | Randomization to 72 weeks, including dose escalation, after the lifestyle phase. | An additional 18.4% mean reduction with tirzepatide; a 2.5% mean increase with placebo. |
| SURMOUNT-4 | 670 adults with obesity or overweight without diabetes, randomized after 36 weeks of initial tirzepatide treatment to continue their maximum tolerated dose of 10 or 15 mg or switch to placebo. | Week 36 to week 88, a 52-week randomized phase. | Further mean reduction of 5.5% with continued tirzepatide; a 14.0% mean increase after switching to placebo, measured from week 36 weight. |
| SURMOUNT-5 | 751 adults with obesity or overweight without diabetes; open-label randomization to maximum tolerated tirzepatide 10 or 15 mg or semaglutide 1.7 or 2.4 mg. | Baseline to 72 weeks. | Mean reduction of 20.2% with tirzepatide and 13.7% with semaglutide. |
Study populations, treatment phases and comparisons differ. These results cannot be substituted for an individual assessment or presented as Trimi patient results.
What trial timelines can and cannot tell you
These study averages cannot determine your weekly or monthly weight change. A result measured at 72 weeks is not a schedule for reaching that result. Your prescriber assesses treatment response and tolerability; this page does not recommend dose changes.
Different randomized dose groups in SURMOUNT-1
These are results from different randomized study groups, not the extra weight a person should expect by increasing a dose.
| Randomized group | Mean body-weight reduction |
|---|---|
| 5 mg | 15.0% |
| 10 mg | 19.5% |
| 15 mg | 20.9% |
| Placebo | 3.1% |
Source: SURMOUNT-1.
The current Zepbound prescribing information selects maintenance treatment according to response and tolerability. The maximum dose is not an automatic goal for every patient. Read label sections 2.1 and 2.2.
Why the diabetes population matters
SURMOUNT-2 studied adults with type 2 diabetes, while SURMOUNT-1 excluded diabetes. In SURMOUNT-2, the treatment-regimen analysis reported mean body-weight reductions of 12.8% with 10 mg and 14.7% with 15 mg at 72 weeks, compared with 3.2% with placebo. These are separate studies with different populations, not a direct comparison of people with and without diabetes. Read SURMOUNT-2.
Why trial results are not Trimi outcomes
The cited studies do not report outcomes for Trimi patients or establish the effectiveness of Trimi’s compounded medication. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved and are not reviewed by FDA for safety, effectiveness or quality before marketing. This article does not provide a Trimi weight-loss average or a personal prediction. Read FDA’s concerns about unapproved GLP-1 medicines.
If you are considering treatment, read how Trimi’s provider assessment works before discussing whether a prescription is appropriate for you.
For a separate discussion of published comparisons, see our tirzepatide vs semaglutide 2026 comparison.
Questions to discuss with your prescriber
If your weight change slows or treatment becomes difficult to tolerate, discuss it with your prescriber. Ask how your progress and side effects should be reviewed and what follow-up is appropriate. Do not start, stop or change treatment based on this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much weight does the average person lose on tirzepatide?
In SURMOUNT-1, the treatment-regimen analysis reported a 20.9% average reduction in body weight at 72 weeks in the 15 mg group. That is a study-group result, not a predicted result for you or for Trimi patients. Source: SURMOUNT-1.
How does tirzepatide compare to semaglutide for weight loss?
SURMOUNT-5 directly compared maximum tolerated doses in 751 adults without diabetes over 72 weeks. The average reductions were 20.2% with tirzepatide and 13.7% with semaglutide. The finding applies to that study and does not establish comparative results for compounded medicines. Source: SURMOUNT-5.
How fast does weight loss happen with tirzepatide?
The studies summarized here do not provide a reliable weekly or monthly prediction for an individual. A trial endpoint should not be treated as a personal timetable or a reason to increase a dose. Source: SURMOUNT-1.
Does tirzepatide work for people with type 2 diabetes?
SURMOUNT-2 studied 938 adults with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes. At 72 weeks, its treatment-regimen analysis found average reductions of 12.8% with 10 mg and 14.7% with 15 mg, versus 3.2% with placebo. Your provider determines whether a treatment is appropriate for you. Source: SURMOUNT-2.
What percentage of tirzepatide users lose 20% or more of their body weight?
In the SURMOUNT-1 population reported in the Zepbound label, 30.0%, 50.1% and 56.7% of the 5 mg, 10 mg and 15 mg groups, respectively, reached at least 20% weight reduction at 72 weeks. Those percentages describe trial participants, not all tirzepatide users or Trimi patients. Source: Zepbound prescribing information.
Why do some people lose more weight than others on tirzepatide?
Group averages do not explain or predict every individual response. The Zepbound label directs maintenance-dose selection according to response and tolerability. Your prescriber can interpret your progress in the context of your treatment and health history. Source: Zepbound prescribing information.
What happens to weight loss when you stop tirzepatide?
In SURMOUNT-4, participants switched to placebo after 36 weeks of tirzepatide had a 14.0% average weight increase over the next 52 weeks, measured from their week 36 weight. This is not a recommendation to stop or continue a medicine; discuss treatment decisions with your prescriber. Source: SURMOUNT-4.
Sources & References
- Jastreboff AM et al. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. 2022;387:205–216.
- Garvey WT et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity in people with type 2 diabetes (SURMOUNT-2). The Lancet. 2023;402:613–626.
- Wadden TA et al. Tirzepatide after intensive lifestyle intervention in adults with overweight or obesity: the SURMOUNT-3 phase 3 trial. Nature Medicine. 2023;29:2909–2918.
- Aronne LJ et al. Continued Treatment With Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults With Obesity: The SURMOUNT-4 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2024;331:38–48.
- Aronne LJ et al. Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. 2025;393:26–36.
- Eli Lilly and Company Zepbound U.S. prescribing information, revised August 2026, sections 2.1–2.2 and 14.1. Eli Lilly and Company. 2026.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDA’s Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. accessed October 26, 2026.