Retatrutide is turning heads as a potential game-changer in weight management. Often called "triple G" because it targets three hormone receptors (GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon), this investigational medication has shown remarkable results in early trials. But it's still in development and is not licensed in the UK or available outside clinical trials.
The benefits of retatrutide appear to extend well beyond the scales. Research suggests it may improve liver health, support heart health, and help blood sugar control. Here's what we know so far about retatrutide benefits.
Key takeaways
- Trial results show retatrutide delivers weight loss of up to 28.7% of body weight, significantly more than other weight loss medications
- Blood sugar control improves, with 72% of people with prediabetes achieving normal levels
- It produces dramatic reductions in harmful fat: liver fat drops by 81-86% and visceral fat (deep abdominal fat linked to diabetes and heart disease) reduces by up to 48.3%
- Heart health markers improve, with up to 41% able to stop blood pressure medications
- Trial results show significant benefits for knee osteoarthritis, with pain reducing by up to 75.8%
- Research suggests potential benefits for PCOS, kidney health, sleep apnoea, and wellbeing, but it's not yet approved anywhere
Substantial weight loss
The most striking benefit is substantial weight loss.
In the latest phase 3 trials, people taking retatrutide lost an average of 28.7% of their body weight over 68 weeks at the 12mg dose, and 26.4% at the 9mg dose. That means more than one quarter of starting weight gone, significantly exceeding what's typically seen with existing weight loss medications like Wegovy or Mounjaro.
Participants also showed significant improvements in waist circumference, suggesting meaningful changes in body composition rather than just numbers on a scale.
It does this by activating three receptors. GLP-1 and GIP help reduce appetite and improve blood sugar control, which supports sustained weight loss. Glucagon encourages the body to use stored fat for energy and helps burn fat. This triple action appears to create a more powerful effect than medications targeting just one or two of these pathways.
Visceral fat reduction
Weight loss is one thing, but retatrutide also appears to target the type of fat that matters most for your health.
Retatrutide showed particularly strong effects on visceral fat, which is the deep abdominal fat that wraps around internal organs and is strongly linked to diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
In the phase 2a trial, retatrutide reduced visceral fat by 16.1% to 48.3% depending on dose, with the highest reductions at 12mg. Subcutaneous abdominal fat (the fat under your skin) also dropped by 13.2% to 43.5%.
Liver fat reduction
Visceral fat isn't the only harmful fat that retatrutide targets. The results for liver fat were striking. In the phase 2 trial focused on fatty liver disease, a group of participants who started with at least 10% liver fat were followed for liver changes. Here's what was seen:
- Significant liver fat reduction with every dose. The higher doses (8mg and 12mg) led to an 81-86% average liver fat reduction by week 48.
- Many reached normal levels of liver fat. With the 8mg and 12mg doses, 89% and 93% of participants achieved healthy liver fat (below 5%) by week 48.
These results are particularly significant because fatty liver disease (MASLD) affects about one in five adults in the UK.
Potential heart health improvements
The benefits of retatrutide may extend to your heart as well. The weight loss and drop in visceral fat offers additional protection for your heart and blood vessels.
In the phase 2 trials, improvements were seen in blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Up to 41% of participants were able to stop at least one blood pressure medication within the 48-week treatment period.
That said, trials specifically designed to measure heart attacks and strokes haven't been completed yet. While the early signs look promising, we can't say for certain that retatrutide reduces these risks.
For comparison, Wegovy is currently the only GLP-1 medication licensed in the UK to reduce the risk of major cardiac events, including heart attack and stroke, in people with obesity and existing heart disease. If retatrutide follows a similar path in future trials, it could offer meaningful heart protection alongside weight loss.
Improved blood sugar control
Retatrutide can also help those with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. In the phase 2 trials, participants saw improvements in:
- HbA1c (a measure of average blood sugar)
- Fasting blood sugar levels
- Insulin levels
Notably, 72% of participants who had prediabetes at the start of the study achieved normal blood sugar levels by week 48.
Knee osteoarthritis
Weight puts extra pressure on your joints, particularly your knees.
Results from the TRIUMPH-4 trial showed that retatrutide significantly helped people with obesity and knee osteoarthritis. Over 68 weeks:
- Pain scores improved by up to 75.8% on the highest doses
- Physical function scores improved by up to 73.7%
- 12% of people on the highest dose were completely free from knee pain by the end of the trial
These results suggest weight loss from retatrutide can meaningfully reduce knee pain and improve mobility in people with osteoarthritis.
Possible benefits for PCOS
If you have PCOS, weight management can feel particularly challenging. PCOS is closely linked to insulin resistance and weight gain, which can make symptoms worse.
While specific trials of retatrutide for PCOS haven't been published, the mechanisms suggest it could help. Losing even 5% of body weight can improve PCOS symptoms, and retatrutide's effects on both weight loss and insulin sensitivity could theoretically help with:
- More regular menstrual cycles
- Improved insulin sensitivity
- Reduced excess hair growth and acne
- Improved fertility outcomes
GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro have shown benefits for people with PCOS. If retatrutide is approved in future, it may follow a similar pattern.
Other areas retatrutide might help
Retatrutide may offer benefits in other areas too:
Kidney health
In phase 2 trials, retatrutide showed improvements in kidney function markers. Participants with obesity taking the 12mg dose saw a 31.5% reduction in urinary albumin (a marker of kidney damage) and improvements in kidney filtration rates.
These findings suggest retatrutide may help protect kidney function, though more research is needed to confirm long-term benefits.
Obstructive sleep apnoea
Excess weight is a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnoea, where breathing stops and starts during sleep. An ongoing trial is looking at whether retatrutide can improve sleep apnoea symptoms in people with obesity. Results are expected by May 2026.
Mood and wellbeing
Weight loss isn't just about physical health. In a qualitative study where trial participants were interviewed about their experiences, people felt more confident and happier within the first 8 weeks of treatment. Many also described improvements in energy levels, mobility, and ability to participate in physical and social activities.
Who could benefit most from retatrutide?
Right now, no one can access retatrutide as it's not yet approved or licensed in the UK or anywhere else.
Once it is approved and licensed in the future, based on early trial data, it may be particularly helpful for people with:
- Significant obesity who haven't had success with other weight loss approaches
- Weight-related health concerns like fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol
- Knee osteoarthritis combined with obesity
- PCOS, particularly when linked to insulin resistance and weight gain
- Kidney concerns related to obesity or diabetes
Ongoing trials are also investigating whether it could help with obstructive sleep apnoea, with results expected in 2026.
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