Doctors have new proof that a drug called retatrutide may be the strongest weight-loss treatment yet made. In a large study, people who took the highest dose lost an average of 25 percent of their body weight after 80 weeks, and 30 percent after 104 weeks.

The study came out today in the New England Journal of Medicine. This site exists to explain health news like this in plain words, so you do not need a medical degree to understand what it means for your body.

What this means for you

If you or someone you know struggles with obesity, this drug could offer more weight loss than current options. But it is still being tested, and it is not yet approved for regular use. Here is what the trial actually found:

1. More than a third of people taking retatrutide lost 30 percent or more of their body weight.
2. The drug cut knee pain by up to 62 percent in people with obesity-related knee arthritis.
3. It reduced sleep apnea episodes by up to 57 percent in people who had that condition.
4. It improved blood pressure, triglycerides, and bad cholesterol levels.
5. More than 90 percent of people who started the trial with prediabetes no longer had it by the end.

The trial ran from 2023 and included 2,339 people from 131 sites in 11 countries. Participants were split into four groups, taking either 4 mg, 9 mg, or 12 mg of retatrutide, or a placebo, which is a fake treatment used for comparison. On average, people weighed about 250 pounds at the start.

Retatrutide is made by Eli Lilly, the same company behind tirzepatide, sold as Zepbound and Mounjaro. These drugs build on earlier medicines like semaglutide, known as Ozempic or Wegovy. Retatrutide works differently because it copies three body hormones instead of one or two: GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon. Together, these hormones control hunger, blood sugar, and fat breakdown.

The drug has drawn attention beyond medicine, too. In June, news broke that Trump administration health officials helped arrange special access to retatrutide for a 79-year-old patient in April, a case many believe may involve President Trump himself.

Side effects so far look similar to other drugs in this family, mostly mild stomach issues like nausea or diarrhea. Some people also felt dizzy or had low blood pressure. Researchers reported a small number of heart problems and cases of pancreatitis, but said the study was too small to know if the drug caused them.

Retatrutide has not been compared directly to existing drugs like tirzepatide, so larger studies are still needed.

If you want to understand how this drug might affect you or someone you know, talk to a doctor about what obesity treatments are currently approved and safe for your situation.