Authorized to treat type 2 diabetes in young people aged 10 to 17, the drug can help control the disease, but requires monitoring
Despite excellent results in controlling obesity and diseases such as diabetes, the use of GLP-1 agonist medications, better known as “slimming pens”, can still raise doubts in many people, including teenagers. After all, do they also serve this audience?
In April, Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency) authorized tirzepatide (active ingredient of Mounjarofrom the pharmaceutical Eli Lilly) is used exclusively to control type 2 diabetes in patients aged 10 to 17 years. With this, the drug becomes the first in the class of dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonists released in Brazil for children and adolescents.
These acronyms refer to intestinal hormones that participate in the control of blood glucose and insulin production. By simultaneously activating these receptors, the medicine helps to improve glycemic indexes and reduce insulin resistance.
The spread of type 2 diabetes among young people follows the growth of childhood obesity in recent decades. In 2009, there were 74,972 adolescents with obesity in Brazil, according to Sisvan (Food and Nutrition Surveillance System), from the Ministry of Health. In 2025, this number jumped to 986,058, an increase of 1215%.
A study published in 2019 in the journal Pediatric Diabetes analyzed data from 37,800 Brazilian students aged between 12 and 17 and estimated that there were 213,000 adolescents with type 2 diabetes in Brazil, in addition to 1.4 million with pre-diabetes. A sedentary lifestyle, excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods, changes in sleep and genetic factors are among the main elements associated with the increase in the disease in this population. Unlike type 1 diabetes, which is autoimmune, type 2 is generally linked to eating and lifestyle habits.
USE IN ADOLESCENTS
Anvisa’s authorization was based on clinical studies that evaluated the efficacy and safety of tirzepatide in adolescents. One of the main works, published in 2025 in the scientific journal The Lancetfollowed 99 participants aged 14.7 years, on average, in 8 countries. Everyone was already using insulin and/or metformin to treat diabetes before the research began.
Divided into 3 groups, two received different dosages of tirzepatide and the other took a placebo. After 33 weeks, researchers observed a significant improvement in blood glucose levels and a reduction in BMI (body mass index) among adolescents treated with the drug. And the results remained consistent after a year of follow-up.
“This is a revolutionary medication for children and adolescents with this disease, a group that presents complications more intensely and earlier. That is why efficient and premature treatment is so important”says endocrinologist Maria Edna de Melo, from Sbem (Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabology).
“Even so, unlike what happens in the case of adults, the medication is not recommended for weight loss in any case, as there are no studies with this population for this purpose”.
SIDE EFFECTS AND FOLLOW-UP
The side effects of using tirzepatide in pediatric patients are the same as those faced by adults. “The most common are gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea. Cases of hypoglycemia may also occur and should be monitored”warns pediatrician Claudio Reingenheim, from Einstein Hospital Israelita.
Problems related to the pancreas and gallbladder may require more frequent exams. Another important issue is that the substance reduces the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. “Therefore, adolescents should be advised to use another method of contraception”adds Reingenheim.
The medication is contraindicated for people allergic to tirzepatide or any component of the formula; patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, a rare type of cancer; or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, a genetic disease involving tumors in the endocrine glands.
Among children and adolescents, factors such as growth phase, hormonal development and metabolic impact make monitoring more delicate than in the case of adults.
“Treatment must be individualized, staggering the application according to the patient’s tolerability and needs, respecting each case so as not to become intolerant, closely monitored by a doctor”guides Maria Edna de Melo.
This text was originally published by Agência Einstein, on June 12, 2026. The content is free for republication, citing the source, and was adapted to the standard of Poder360.
