How to Compare Injectable Weight Loss Drugs
You may have heard the buzz about injectable medicines that many people are now using to help them lose weight and wondered if one of them could be right for you. Reaching and sticking to a healthy weight can be hard, but it does come with many health benefits. It can lower your chances of diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, sleep apnea, and many other health conditions.
While diet and exercise alone may get you there, these weight loss drugs can be a new lease on life for people who have diabetes or obesity. But you also may have lots of questions including whether they really work and how. You might also wonder how these medications – including Mounjaro, Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound – compare to each other and why you might choose one over another.
These drugs do have a lot of similarities but also important differences. For example, all of them include a class of drug that’s known as a GLP-1 agonist. An agonist is a drug that works by acting like a substance that your body naturally has. GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide 1, which is a hormone your small intestine makes. When blood sugar goes up, GLP-1 encourages your body to make more insulin to lower blood sugar. These drugs do the same thing.
How do GLP-1 agonists help with weight loss? They may make you feel less hungry by keeping any food you eat in your GI tract for longer. This makes it take longer for you to feel hungry again after a meal, so it’s easier to eat less. They may also send signals to your brain that tell it that you’re feeling full.
Of course, like any drug, these medicines do have downsides. They can come with side effects, including nausea. They’re costly and may not be covered by health insurance. You may need to take them indefinitely to maintain your weight unless you make other lifestyle changes. And because they’re relatively new, it’s not yet clear how they will affect your health over many years.
Because of all this, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor if you think you might like to try one of these to lose weight and improve your health. It will help to learn all you can up-front before you decide to give any of these new drugs a try. Make sure you have all your questions answered so you can make an informed choice that’s right for you.
| Medication | Generic Name | Minimum Age | Drug class | Approved usage(s) | Prescribed usage(s) |
| Mounjaro | Tirzepatide | 18 | GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist | Type 2 diabetes | Type 2 diabetes/overweight/obesity |
| Ozempic | Semaglutide | 18 | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Type 2 diabetes/heart disease prevention* | Type 2 diabetes/heart disease prevention*/overweight/obesity |
| Wegovy | Semaglutide | 12 | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Overweight/obesity/heart disease prevention** | Overweight/obesity/heart disease prevention** |
| Zepbound | Tirzepatide | 18 | GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist | Overweight/obesity** | Overweight/obesity** |
| * For adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease ** For adults with overweight or obesity and at least one other weight-related condition | |||||
Semaglutide vs. tirzepatide
Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy. It works as a GLP-1 receptor agonist to treat type 2 diabetes. People also use it to help them lose weight. Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound, which also can treat type 2 diabetes and encourage weight loss. Tirzepatide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, too. But it also works in a second way, as what’s known as a GIP receptor agonist. GIP, short for glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, is another hormone your body makes after you eat.
So both semaglutide and tirzepatide work by acting like hormones your body normally makes after you eat. They can make your stomach empty more slowly so that you won’t want to eat again as soon. They also send signals to the brain that tell you you’re full. The main difference is that tirzepatide mimics two hormones while semaglutide mimics one.
Ozempic vs. Wegovy
Ozempic and Wegovy are different brand names for the same injectable drug, semaglutide. The difference is that Wegovy is approved to manage weight in adults and kids 12 and up who have obesity. Ozempic is approved to lower blood sugar when you have type 2 diabetes. You can also use it to lower your risks of a heart attack or stroke if you have diabetes and heart disease. Wegovy also is approved if you are overweight with at least one related health condition, including:
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- High cholesterol
Ozempic vs. Wegovy dosage
Ozempic and Wegovy are really the same drug, but you will take them in different doses. You take Wegovy as an injection in your belly, thigh, or upper arm once a week at the same time. You’ll start with a lower dose and work your way up to 2.4 c.
You also start Ozempic at a lower dose. You’ll work your way up to a dose of 0.5 Wegovy each week. If you’re taking Ozempic for diabetes, sometimes you may need to increase the dose to 1 milligram per week if the lower dose isn’t enough to get your blood sugar under control.
Ozempic vs. Wegovy side effects
Common side effects of Wegovy include:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Belly pain
- Indigestion
- Dizziness
- Bloated stomach
- Burping/gas
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Gastroenteritis
- GERD
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nose and throat infections (nasopharyngitis)
Common side effects of Ozempic include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Belly pain
- Constipation
Ozempic vs. Wegovy for weight loss
You can take Wegovy to help you lose weight together with eating fewer calories and exercising more. It’s approved for use if:
- Your BMI is 30 or more, which indicates that you have obesity.
- You have overweight with a BMI of at least 27 along with at least one other weight-related health condition.
Kids between ages 12 and 18 can take Wegovy if their BMI puts them into the 95th percentile or higher based on their age and sex.
Ozempic is approved for people with type 2 diabetes. But it’s sometimes used off-label for weight loss since it’s the same drug as Wegovy. The only difference is that you take Ozempic at a lower dose. It’s possible you could start losing weight within a couple of weeks by taking either Wegovy or Ozempic. There’s more data on Wegovy for weight loss, but Wegovy also comes with a longer list of common side effects given the higher dose.
Other differences in Ozempic and Wegovy
Wegovy is approved for weight loss, but only if you are above a certain weight. Ozempic isn’t approved for weight loss, but doctors sometimes use it off-label for this purpose. The main difference between the two is the dose, since they are the same drug (semaglutide) and you take them in the same way.
Health insurance coverage can differ between Ozempic and Wegovy. This will depend on whether you’re taking them for an approved use or not. To take Ozempic for weight loss, you will likely have to pay for it out-of-pocket unless your doctor lists your diagnosis as diabetes. To take Wegovy for weight loss, you will need to be above a certain weight or have another weight-related health condition. At about $1,000 per month, either of these drugs can be costly if you have to pay for them yourself.
Mounjaro vs. Ozempic
Mounjaro and Ozempic are different drugs, although they work in a similar way. Mounjaro is a GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist. Ozempic acts only on GLP-1. They’re both approved to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes in combination with a healthy diet and exercise.
While both Mounjaro and Ozempic are really diabetes drugs, they also can help you lose weight.
Mounjaro vs. Ozempic side effects
Common side effects of Ozempic include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Belly pain
- Constipation
Common side effects of Mounjaro include:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Reduced appetite
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Indigestion
- Belly pain
Other differences between Mounjaro and Ozempic
Both Mounjaro and Ozempic can help you lose weight. But they’re primarily indicated to treat type 2 diabetes. They haven’t been studied in people who’ve had pancreatitis in the past. They also aren’t recommended if you’re pregnant.
You’ll take Mounjaro in a higher dose, starting at 2.5 milligrams and working your way up to 5 milligrams once a week. Both are taken as an injection once a week.
Without insurance, Mounjaro and Ozempic may cost about $1,000 per month. Neither one is available as a generic. While they work in similar ways and are approved for similar indications, they are different drugs.
Mounjaro vs. Ozempic for weight loss
While they are approved for diabetes, both Mounjaro and Ozempic also make people lose weight by helping you to feel full longer. Ozempic acts like a hormone your body makes. Mounjaro works similarly, but it acts like two hormones instead of one.
Compared to Ozempic, Mounjaro might work even better for weight loss. One study showed that a 15 milligram-dose of this drug taken every week led people to lose more than 20% of their body weight. Ozempic can help you lose 15%-20% of your weight on average. But many people might lose closer to 10% of their body weight.
You’ll most likely have to keep taking them to keep the weight off. If you need to lose a lot of weight, you might need to consider other options, including weight loss surgery. Experts recommend being cautious about deciding to take Ozempic or Mounjaro for weight loss so you can make an informed decision given their side effects, costs, and other factors.
Mounjaro vs. Zepbound
Mounjaro and Zepbound are brand names for the same drug, tirzepatide. While Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes, Zepbound is approved for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or more. It’s also approved if you’re overweight and have another health condition including:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Type 2 diabetes
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Heart disease
Mounjaro vs. Zepbound dosage
You’ll take Mounjaro and Zepbound in similar doses. The maximum dose is 15 milligrams per week. You will start at a dose of 2.5 milligrams and adjust it over time to reach the desired effects. In addition to considering how it’s working, you’ll have to take any side effects into account.
Mounjaro vs. Zepbound side effects
Common side effects of Mounjaro include:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Reduced appetite
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Indigestion
- Belly pain
Common side effects of Zepbound include:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Belly pain
- Indigestion
- Injection site reactions
- Fatigue
- Hypersensitivity reactions
- Burping
- Hair loss
- GERD
Other differences between Mounjaro and Zepbound
Although they’re the same drug, your insurance may or may not cover Mounjaro or Zepbound, depending on your coverage and whether you are taking them as indicated or off-label. Both of them are costly to pay for out of pocket. They may cost about $1,000 per month.
Wegovy vs. Zepbound
These are different drugs that work in similar ways to help with weight loss. They’re approved if your BMI is over 30 or if it’s over 27 and you have another related health condition. Zepbound (tirzepatide) works in two ways while Wegovy (semaglutide) works in one way. If you are considering one of these versus the other for weight loss, ask your doctor which one they recommend for you and why. You may also want to consider your insurance coverage as you make your decision.
Wegovy vs. Zepbound side effects
Common side effects of Wegovy include:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Belly pain
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Indigestion
- Dizziness
- Bloated stomach
- Burping
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Gas
- Gastroenteritis
- GERD
- Nasopharyngitis
Common side effects of Zepbound include:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Belly pain
- Indigestion
- Injection site reactions
- Fatigue
- Hypersensitivity reactions
- Burping
- Hair loss
- GERD
Other differences between Wegovy and Zepbound
Wegovy and Zepbound work similarly, but Wegovy acts like one hormone and Zepbound acts like two. There’s also some evidence Zepbound might lead to more weight loss. You could find differences in your health insurance coverage or the availability of one versus the other. If you’re trying to decide between these two, ask your doctor for advice, and check to find out how much you’d pay out of pocket with your insurance. You may also want to check your local pharmacy to see if there are any differences in availability.
Which Weight Loss Drug Is Best?
Mounjaro, Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound work in similar ways for weight loss. Ozempic and Wegovy are both semaglutide. Mounjaro and Zepbound are another drug called tirzepatide. Clinical trials have shown that taking either semaglutide or tirzepatide can make you lose weight. But the first studies didn’t compare the two to each other. To look at this, one recent study looked at weight loss and side effects in adults who were overweight or had obesity. Some of them got tirzepatide while others got semaglutide.
It turned out that people taking tirzepatide lost more weight than those taking semaglutide. This was true after 3 months and a year. The side effects of both drugs also were similar. But we need more research to really understand the differences over the long term and how taking either one of these drugs affects your health.
The best option for you may depend on how much weight you want to lose to improve your health and whether you have another weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. You also may need to consider other things to decide which drug is best for you, including:
- Your doctor’s recommendation
- Your insurance
- Availability
- Side effects
Ask your doctor if they recommend one of these drugs to help you with weight loss. If they suggest it’s a good option to consider, then you should talk through your options and the pros and cons of each.
Takeaways
Mounjaro, Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound are all relatively new weight loss drugs. They both work to slow down your stomach and GI tract. They also can send signals to your brain that help you feel full longer and eat less. While some of them are only approved as treatments for type 2 diabetes, all of them can make people lose weight. Talk to your doctor about whether they recommend you try an injectable weight loss drug along with diet and exercise to improve your health.
FAQs
Is Zepbound more expensive than Wegovy?
The cost you’ll pay may depend on your insurance and whether you have coverage for Zepbound vs. Wegovy. You also could look into other programs to help lower your cost. The out-of-pocket cost for all of these drugs is about $1,000 per month.
Are Zepbound or other injectables for weight loss safe to take?
These drugs are generally considered safe, but they do have possible side effects. There are other complications that may come along with these medicines. Talk to your doctor about your weight loss and health goals and whether this may be a safe option for you to consider.
Can I switch from Ozempic to Zepbound?
While these two drugs work similarly, there are differences. There isn’t a lot known about how well it works to switch from one of these drugs to another. There is some evidence Zepbound might lead to more weight loss than Ozempic. If you can’t find Ozempic, your doctor might suggest you try Zepbound. Ask your doctor if you should consider switching from Ozempic to Zepbound and how to go about it safely.
