Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Which Weight Loss Shot Works Better?

Injectable drugs called Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (terzepatide) help person with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar (glucose) levels.

People who want to drop a lot of weight are increasingly choosing to use a class of prescription medications called GLP-1s, which includes Ozempic and Mounjaro.

Indeed, a survey found that 1 in 8 American adults (12%) have used a GLP-1 medication at some point in their lives, either to treat diabetes, lose weight, or lower their risk of heart disease and stroke. Approximately 6% of adults say they are currently taking medications such as Mounjaro or Ozempic.

Many people are left wondering which alternative could be most appropriate for their unique health demands due to the growing media attention and consumer curiosity.

This article aims to help you and your healthcare practitioner make an informed choice by dissecting the differences between Mounjaro and Ozempic in terms of efficacy, safety, side effects, and general suitability.

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What Are Mounjaro and Ozempic?

• Mounjaro (Tirzepatide)

Once a week, you can inject Mounjaro (terzepatide), an FDA-approved medication, beneath the fatty layer of your skin. This drug helps people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. Medical professionals advise taking this medication in conjunction with a customized diet and exercise regimen.

Mounjaro is the sole medication in its class. It is the first to activate GLP-1 and GIP, two gut hormones that control blood sugar in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Currently, Mounjaro is approved for use only in treating type 2 diabetes.

Nonetheless, the FDA has also attempted to approve this medication as a weight-loss aid. A study found that nearly two-thirds of subjects who received weekly injections of 10 or 15 milligrams (mg) of Mounjaro lost at least 20% of their body weight.

In addition to maintaining a good, balanced diet and regular exercise, Mounjaro may help prevent cardiovascular (heart) issues, a risk factor for persons with type 2 diabetes.

• Ozempic (Semaglutide)

Ozempic (semaglutide) is also an FDA-approved medication used to treat individuals with type 2 diabetes. When used in conjunction with a balanced diet and regular exercise, this medication helps regulate blood sugar levels. Medical professionals usually prescribe Ozempic to patients with type 2 diabetes and who have heart disease to lower the risk of cardiovascular events, such as stroke.

Ozempic (semaglutide), made by Novo Nordisk, is a GLP-1 receptor. Unlike Mounjaro, it does not engage the GIP receptor in its mechanism of action. By binding to GLP-1 receptors, it reduces the generation of glucose (sugar) and, when necessary, stimulates the pancreas to release insulin. It reduces the speed at which your food passes through the digestive system. As a result, you can lose weight, eat less, and feel fuller for longer.

Ozempic shows promise as a possible treatment for obesity and weight management, but it does not have FDA approval as a weight loss medication. Participants who received Ozempic injections once a week saw improvements in physical performance, a nearly 15% decrease in body weight, and a decrease in heart disease risk factors during a 68-week clinical trial, which was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.

How They Work in the Body

A head-to-head clinical experiment has been conducted to examine Mounjaro and Ozempic. The trial, which spanned approximately nine months, compared a 1 mg dose of Ozempic with three different doses of Mounjaro: 5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg.

Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C or A1C) decreased more in those using Mounjaro at any dose than in those taking Ozempic. The A1C test measures our average blood sugar level over the past three months. Mounjaro may be suitable if you require further assistance in reducing your A1C.

Although doctors do not specifically recommend Ozempic and Mounjaro for weight loss, many users report experiencing weight loss. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that Mounjaro users lose more weight than Ozempic users.

Depending on their dosage, participants in the aforementioned head-to-head experiment shed an average of 16 to 25 pounds while using Mounjaro. On the other hand, participants taking Ozempic experienced an average weight loss of approximately 12 pounds.

Researchers examined Ozempic and Mounjaro under real-world circumstances in a recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. They discovered that Mounjaro users dropped noticeably more weight than Ozempic users. Furthermore, the disparity widened the longer the patients continued using the medications.

Pharmaceutical companies first created tirzepatide and semaglutide—the active ingredients in Mounjaro and Ozempic—to treat type 2 diabetes. Eli Lilly also sells tirzepatide under the brand name Zepbound, while Novo Nordisk sells semaglutide under the brand name Wegovy. Manufacturers designed both medications to help people lose weight.

Ken Fujioka, MD, an endocrinologist and head of Scripps Clinic Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center, says several things have affected the results. Still, this extra hormone might be one of the reasons Mounjaro led to more weight reduction in the study.

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Clinical Trial Results: Weight Loss Comparison

The FDA has authorized a higher-dose form of Ozempic, called Wegovy, for weight loss in individuals aged 12 and above. During clinical studies, Wegovy users dropped, on average, 15% of their initial body weight.

Mounjaro and Zepbound are available in the exact dosages and adhere to a comparable regimen until you achieve the ideal dosage for your objectives. On average, Zepbound users lost about 21% of their initial body weight throughout clinical studies.

Side Effects: How Do They Compare?

Mounjaro and Ozempic are both used to treat type 2 diabetes. While some of Mounjaro’s adverse effects are similar to those of Ozempic, some differ. However, Mounjaro’s side effects might be more common and more severe. Here are some examples of adverse impacts documented during the clinical trials of these medications.

Which should you choose, Mounjaro or Ozempic?

There won’t be a single solution for the case of Ozempic vs. Mounjaro.
Mounjaro has been effective in weight loss, but it’s not always easy. Your medical history and unique health requirements will determine the course of action.

When choosing, keep the following in mind:

Heart Condition: If you or a family member has a history of heart conditions, Ozempic may be a more suitable option. Ozempic lowers the risk of severe heart issues, like heart attack and stroke, based on research.

Gastric Issues: Mounjaro may cause severe side effects if you have a sensitive stomach or other stomach complaints.

Allergies: These medications are not recommended if you are allergic to any of their ingredients.

The best course of action is to consult your medical doctor. Depending on your medical background, they will guide you in losing weight and help you determine the best method for you.

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Are They Safe for Long-Term Use?

• Ozempic:

There is no requirement for the patients to take Ozempic for a definite period. You should visit your doctor if you need to discontinue Ozempic due to experiencing any side effects. Before you stop taking the drug, ensure you visit your healthcare practitioner. Withdrawal, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea are among the severe side effects that appear once you stop taking the drug prematurely.

You can continue taking Ozempic as long as your physician determines it is effective for you and that your body can tolerate it. However, it is not approved for type 1 diabetes, though it is approved for type 2.

• Mounjaro:

You can continue taking Mounjaro as long as your physician recommends it, which is typically until you reach your desired weight or achieve your desired health outcome. Close medical follow-up is essential to monitor your progress and control adverse side effects.

Clinical trials suggest that patients on the highest maintenance dose of 15 mg can achieve up to 22.5% weight loss from their baseline after 72 weeks. It indicates that Mounjaro is an effective and sustained long-term therapy for achieving evident and durable weight loss.

Expert Opinions and Real-world Feedback

With the ability to mimic some hormones in the gut, Mounjaro and Ozempic, as well as their weight loss counterparts, are weekly injections that alter patients’ eating behaviors and reduce hunger.

Only one hunger-suppressing hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), increases feelings of fullness and lowers blood sugar, and both Ozempic and Wegovy mimic its effects.

Mounjaro and Zepbound, in contrast, copy GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, or GIP, a different hormone in the digestive tract.

Due to their dual action, Mounjaro and Zepbound exert a more substantial effect on regulating blood sugar and appetite, which some researchers believe can lead to more significant weight loss than medication based on GLP-1 alone.

“As both a cardiologist and researcher, staying updated with the latest data is essential to provide the best possible care for patients,” Dr. Ty Gluckman, Medical Director at Providence Heart Institute’s Center for Cardiovascular Analytics, Research, and Data Science (CARDS) and paper author, told Healthline.

Gluckman said, “Because the FDA only approved tirzepatide in mid of 2022 for type 2 diabetes, researchers can significantly improve the understanding of how these kind of agents are being used in our everyday practice and their effects by rigorously analyzing its use—both on- and off-label—across a broad population of overweight or obese patients, not just a subset captured in insurance databases.”

Truveta, a healthcare data and analytics company with 30 US health systems, used electronic health records and prescriber data for its study.

They identified overweight or obese adults who started Ozempic or Mounjaro between May 2022 and September 2023. Participants could not have taken GLP-1 drugs before the study.

More than 40,000 patients who took one of the two drugs were eligible for the study. After matching tirzepatide patients to semaglutide patients, the remaining cohort was 18,386. Patients averaged 52 years old. The cohort was 70% female, 77% white, 12% Black, and 2% Asian.

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Conclusion

While both Mounjaro and Ozempic are known as effective drugs for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, Mounjaro is slightly more potent in weight loss compared to Ozempic, as it also targets the GLP-1 and GIP receptors. However, Ozempic has been on the market for longer and, therefore, has a stronger usage base and a longer prescribing use duration for cardiovascular impact.

Ultimately, the optimal choice should be based on your individual disease profile, needs, and tolerance to each drug. Proper consultation with your healthcare physician is essential to determine the choice for your needs.

People should remember that neither of these medicines is a magical pill. Both medications need to be complemented by lifestyle changes, such as regular follow-up, exercise, and a proper diet, to produce noticeable and sustained effects.