Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Ozempic (semaglutide) are both weight loss aids designed originally for treating diabetes, but they work in slightly different ways.
How do Mounjaro and Ozempic work?
Both Ozempic and Mounjaro are GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonists that stimulate insulin release by the pancreas and at the same time slow down digestion (passage of food through the GI tract). However, Mounjaro is additionally acting on the GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptor, which in combination with its GLP-1 receptor activity, likely causes an additional weight-loss effect.
How effective are Ozempic and Mounjaro?
In short, both medications are effective at helping with weight reduction.
In 2021 New England Journal of Medicine reported on a study of Ozempic for weight loss in individuals with obesity. After 68 weeks’ treatment, average weight loss for Ozempic patients was almost 15%, compared with only about a 2% weight loss in patients taking a placebo. To put it another way, patients lost 5% or more of their body weight in the Ozempic group than in the placebo group.
In 2022 the journal Molecule reported that Mounjaro could help reduce body weight by more than 20%, while improving fat metabolism. Also in 2022, the journal Cardiovascular Diabetology reported five patient trials that demonstrated weight reduction of 12 to 26 pounds. So while it seems like Mounjaro is slightly more effective compared to Ozempic, some experts state that the Mounjaro was used in a higher dose equivalent, and therefore a comparison of which medication is more effective cannot be derived from the studies.
What are some of the side effects?
Both medications have similar possible side effects; the most common ones are gastrointestinal in nature:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
What are the doses and how are the drugs administered?
Both medications are injected under the skin (into the stomach or thigh) by the patient or another person, once a week.
A full dose of Ozempic is 2.0 mg (or when using the Wegovy brand of the same medication, 2.4 mg), supplied in a prefilled syringe.
A full dose of Mounjaro is 15.0 mg. The dose of either medication is slowly increased each month, depending on how well the medication is tolerated.
How do I get a prescription for Mounjaro or Ozempic?
Both medications are obtained by prescription only. QuickMD can prescribe Mounjaro or Ozempic online via telemedicine consultation.