Can Mounjaro help with endometriosis?

What is Mounjaro?

Mounjaro is a medication licensed for use in diabetics and has been hitting the news recently due to its magical weight loss effect. Mounjaro contains the active ingredient tirzepatide. Tirzepatide stimulates the increase in production of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). GLP-1 and GIP are hormones that are produced by your digestive tract. 

GLP-1 and GIP increase the amount of insulin produced by the body which lowers the body’s blood sugar. Additionally, they also suppresses appetite, which can promote weight loss¹. 

Mounjaro is an injectable medication which should be given at the same time every day. Mounjaro can only be obtained with a prescription from your doctor, an online pharmacy or weight loss clinics. 

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is an inflammatory condition where cells similar to those found in the lining of the womb are found outside the womb. Endometriosis can be found elsewhere in the body like the ovaries, fallopian tube, and bowel². These areas of endometriosis outside the womb grow and shed over the menstrual cycle. As the blood pools and breaks down in the body, an inflammatory reaction is triggered in the body. This is why periods are extremely painful and can lead to bloating. 

Mounjaro for endometriosis

As Mounjaro is a fairly new medication, there isn’t much research on its effects outside its intended use (aka to treat diabetes and help weight loss). 

However, we know Mounjaro is great for weight loss. A study in 2022 found Mounjaro taken over 72 weeks resulted in more than 5% weight loss in over 85% of users³. In 2023, a study in JAMA reported a weight loss of 26.4% in users after 55 weeks⁴. 

Mounjaro and endometriosis is not something researchers have studied just yet, however, members of online forums have commented on how Mounjaro has been beneficial for their endometriosis symptoms. 

While endometriosis itself is not commonly associated with weight gain, weight gain may worsen symptoms. Having a BMI over 30 can cause heavy menstrual bleeding⁵ and inflammation⁶ – so perhaps as Mounjaro causes weight loss it can lighten bleeds, reduce inflammation and therefore help endometriosis symptoms? 

Does Mounjaro help with endometriosis?

We cannot explicitly answer this question as Mounjaro is not licensed for endometriosis use. Furthermore, as the medication is new, there isn’t enough research to understand how the medication can impact the body over long-term use. 

But just because there isn’t information right now, doesn’t mean there won’t be! Hold tight, the research will follow soon. 

As Mounjaro is available through online pharmacies and clinics, some people have trialed this medication on their own (which we definitely do not recommend!!). 

A posting on Mumsnet wrote: “I have deeply infiltrating endo, and have needed many surgeries for it. Most have no idea how horrific the pain can be, my heart goes out to you.

I’ve been on morphine of one form or another for over 15 years. Well I had the most enormous bonus, and I managed to titrate my meds down over 3 months and am now completely morphine free!! Mounjaro has worked wonders for my health, not just my weight, and I will take it for as long as I possibly can⁷.”

Another review wrote: “Endometriosis is an inflammatory autoimmune disease, and Mounjaro seems to work wonders on just such conditions. It’s also made a big difference to my fibromyalgia and arthritis. As a bonus I’m now also reducing my antidepressants⁷.” 

While it is definitely interesting that Mounjaro has had positive effects on endometriosis, it seems like it has also benefited other inflammatory diseases. However, this does not mean you should self-medicate without getting medical advice. Endometriosis experiences are unique and impact individuals in their own way. There is no way to say if Mounjaro will affect each person the same way. 

Interestingly, metformin (which is another medication also used in diabetes) has shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. Could Mounjaro also have anti-inflammatory properties as it is also a diabetes medication? Endometriosis causes painful symptoms as the trapped blood triggers the inflammatory pathway in the body⁸. So is this how Mounjaro seems to help some people with endometriosis? We’re guessing now….but it’s fun to try and work it out and see if it could help.

We will have to wait to find out more! But as you wait, you do not have to suffer in silence. There are multiple other proven endometriosis treatments that are routinely prescribed in medical care. These include hormonal treatments like contraception, lifestyle changes, stronger painkillers and surgery to remove the endometrial tissue. We cover all this and more in our endometriosis treatment article! 

Can Mounjaro be used for any other women’s health conditions?

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) has been seen to benefit from Mounjaro. PCOS sufferers tend to experience weight gain and insulin resistance as part of the condition, which Mounjaro can regulate. Unfortunately, Mounjaro is not licensed for anything other than diabetic treatment. 

We have a dedicated article on Mounjaro and PCOS, so read on if you would like to find out more! 

Summary

So in summary, it’s possible that Mounjaro might help some people’s endometriosis symptoms. Why? We don’t know, but it could be due to reducing inflammation in the body. But, we still don’t recommend trying Mounjaro unless you actually have diabetes or a high BMI and have had a discussion with a healthcare professional. As soon as we hear more, we’ll let you know.