Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly says new preliminary research suggests its drug Zepbound helps patients lose more weight in less time compared to Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy.

Eli Lilly said the study showed that both drugs provided significant weight loss benefits, but people treated with Zepbound lost more weight after 72 weeks of treatment than those who received Wegovy, the company noted.

Barbara Stanger-Gaudreau told “Nightline” that she has tried many weight loss medications over the years, including Wegovy. She said Zepbound seemed to work best for her.

“I’ve been trying to lose weight for so long,” said Schlitzer-Gaudreau.

She mentioned that she took the highest dose of Wegovy available in 2022 but did not see any results. After her insurance stopped covering the medication, she said her doctor switched her to Mounjaro (also made by Eli Lilly). In June, her doctor switched her back to Zepbound.

Stretcher-Gaudreau — who exercises and changes her eating habits — said she has lost over 30 pounds this year and feels great. She noted that she can walk, her blood pressure is good and her heart rate is healthy.

Inspired by her mother’s progress, Schlitzer-Gaudreau’s daughter Alexis said she decided to reach out to Zepbound as well. Alexis also works as a subsidiary of a telehealth company that offers weight loss medications. She also changed her lifestyle through exercise and diet.

“Within the first week I lost weight and in the first month I lost 10 pounds, so I was lucky,” Alexis said. “My life has changed not only externally but also internally, so I want to help others feel the same.”

Zepbound is a medication that contains tirzepatide. The preliminary study showed it to be more effective in weight loss than Wegovy, which contains semaglutide. This preliminary study, which has not been peer-reviewed, was conducted by Zepbound manufacturer Eli Lilly. Both medications are antidiabetics or are used to treat diabetes.

Tirzepatide and semaglutide mimic gut hormones that we produce naturally, says Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity medicine physician at FlyteHealth Medical and Weill Cornell Medicine. These hormones are increased or released after eating and perform various functions.

“One is to tell the brain that we are full and have eaten. What patients notice with these medications is that they are less hungry, feel full faster and stay full longer,” said Saunders.

Saunders noted that several drugs are actually combinations.

“This is because weight regulation is so complex that several different pathways are involved, and sometimes targeting one pathway is not as effective as targeting two pathways at the same time,” she said.

In response to the study, Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy, said in part: “Wegovy is the only anti-obesity drug proven to reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or Overweight.”

The conversation about weight loss has swept the nation, with eye-catching commercials popping up on television and flooding social media platforms.

These medications may provide an option for weight loss support for those who have struggled to lose weight in other ways. However, like all medications, these can have side effects. The main side effects of Wegovy and Zepbound are nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, constipation and diarrhea.

Experts note that lifestyle changes should also be considered when taking this type of medication.

“These medications are intended to be used in conjunction with lifestyle interventions, such as working with a nutritionist, finding a sustainable diet, physical activity and behavioral interventions,” Saunders said.