A new study shows that a once-a-week medication for diabetes helps people lose weight. In the study, published in the The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers tested the drug Tirzepatide, which is sold under the brand name Mounjaro. Tirzepatide was recently approved by the FDA to treat type 2 diabetes. Researchers studied over 2,500 overweight people without diabetes. Over the 72 weeks of the study, participants lost significant amounts of weight, with the group taking the largest dose losing an average of 52 pounds. Almost 40 percent of participants lost a quarter of their body weight. Side effects, including nausea, diarrhea and constipation, occurred in a small percentage of participants. While this new medication is contraindicated in people with certain thyroid conditions, it could soon be a useful treatment to help some people lose weight and improve their health.