Mounjaro user shuts down one major misconception about controversial drug after revealing surprising effect first jab had

A new Mounjaro user has opened up on what it’s been like during his first week on the injectable drug and shut down one huge misconception that people have.

Christian, 28, decided to give the medication a go in order to drop some weight ahead of his sister’s wedding.

He got hold of his first round of the drug on Saturday 7 June through a private GP and is currently forking out £200 per month, which includes access to a food therapist and dietitian.

While Mounjaro was originally designed to help people with type 2 diabetes, it has also been approved in the UK as a weight management tool.

And Christian has already lost a staggering nine pounds, with the first five pounds being dropped within the initial 24 hours of being injected.

For those who aren’t familiar with how Mounjaro works, Christian simply has to inject himself weekly with the drug, in a fatty area, and it works by suppressing appetite and increasing a sense of fullness.

Christian, 28, started on Mounjaro over a week ago and has lifted the lid on how it's going (Tyla)

It activates two receptors called GLP-1 and GIP to increase the level of incretins (hormones) in the body and works by helping your body to produce more insulin when needed.

The medication also reduces the amount of glucose, or sugar, produced by the liver, and slows down how quickly food is digested.

However, contrary to popular belief, simply injecting the medicine is not all you have to do.

One huge misconception around Mounjaro is that you don’t have to do any exercise, you can just take the medication, sit back, and the weight will fall off.

If only it were that easy!

In actual fact, as much as people think it’s a ‘magic’ injection, Mounjaro should be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to maximise the benefits.

Despite this, unfortunately, those taking the drug are plagued with accusations of ‘cheating’ at weight loss - yes, you read that right.

There’s a lot of stigma around Mounjaro and a recent study found that people think weight loss that’s brought on by weight management injectables such as Mounjaro or Ozempic, is less worthy of praise than through diet and exercise alone, reports The Standard.

Hitting back at the misconceptions, Christian revealed how a lot of people don’t realise you have to put the effort in when it comes to your fitness and diet.

He's shut down some huge misconceptions around the increasingly-popular drug (Getty Images / Bloomberg)

He told Tyla: “It’s not like I’m playing a game on the PlayStation. This is my life. This is losing weight. If there’s any way possible to do it, I’ll do it.

"You have to exercise while you're on it or you will lose muscle density. You need to try and eat as much protein as possible and you need to be exercising.

“You need to try and keep counteracting the muscle loss. You're not cheating in a way. You're taking an injection which is helping you lose weight by kind of suppressing your appetite, but then also you're exercising as well.”

Christian also lifted the lid on how he’s faced criticism from people who are warning him about so-called ‘long term-effects’.

He recalled: “I had people saying to me like, ‘Oh, you're going to grow three arms and three legs when you're older’ and stuff like that because I don't know the long term effects.”

Squashing another misconception, he explained: "It is new but I think people don't have much faith in England's testing that we do for new medicines.

Christian explained how Mounjaro requires a diet and exercise to work properly, contrary to the stigma (Tyla)

“In England, for things to get through to the NHS they have to go through such thorough testing. It’s gone through the ends and back.”

It comes after Christian opened up on the initial side effects he noticed in his first week after injecting the drug.

He explained that he's now got 'loads of energy - like loads of energy'.

Christian said: "The doctor actually said to me that I’d be surprised. It kind of subdues your stomach but it also helps to burn your fat cells so it gives you loads of energy.

"One of the other side effects is I've been struggling to get to sleep, but I don't feel that's a very common one.”

He revealed that he’s been ‘waking up at night’, but he doesn’t actually know whether that’s just because he’s ‘not feeling hungover all the time’.

Christian admitted: “It's a weird one. I think there is a psychological part to play in it as well.

“I've avoided drinking because I've heard that drinking beer especially, I love beer, but because it's so filling it's like you can't really drink it.

It comes after the 28-year-old lifted the lid on the unexpected side effects he noticed since first being injected with Mounjaro (Tyla)

“You kind of just don't want to drink. It's weird. It's like it's kind of almost changed my tastebuds. I used to crave a beer and now I look at them like eurgh no.”

A spokesperson for Eli Lilly, the company which makes Mounjaro, told Tyla: “Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is authorised to be used for weight management ‘as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity in adults’ (i.e. it must be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity).

“Patient safety is Lilly’s top priority. The MHRA – like other regulators throughout the world, who assess the risks and benefits of medications – authorised Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for use both to treat type 2 diabetes and for weight management.

“Mounjaro (tirzepatide) should only be used when prescribed by a healthcare professional and prescriptions should be fulfilled and supplied by registered pharmacies and providers.

“We encourage patients to consult their doctor or other healthcare professional to discuss any possible side effects they may be experiencing and to ensure that they are getting genuine Lilly medicine.”