Mounjaro Vs. Ozempic For Weight Loss- Which Is Better?
Lately, there has been a raging war between Mounjaro vs. Ozempic, two injectable weight-loss drugs that work wonders on people who are trying to lose weight. In the current social climate, many peculiar diet plans and vigorous exercise routines have been appearing all over social media. This is a bid to help people suffering from obesity lose excess weight and lead healthier lifestyles. So far, Mounjaro and Ozempic have proven very effective new weight loss drugs, but which is better?
Here’s all you need to know about the two drugs and the answer to the ultimate debate – Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Which is better?
What are Ozempic and Mounjaro?
Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tripeptide) are injectable medications approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Their purpose is to control blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes patients. Ozempic and Mounjaro prove to be most effective when coupled with diet and exercise. Thus they can be most accurately dubbed as diabetic drugs for weight loss.
The FDA also approves Ozempic to prevent cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes in people with type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
But neither of these drugs is a type of insulin. Thus, they are ineffective against type 1 diabetes.
While neither Mounjaro nor Ozempic are weight loss drugs specifically, providers continue to prescribe these off-label as they have both proven to be effective against obesity.
Though both Mounjaro and Ozempic are similar in many ways, they tend to differ fundamentally. Therefore, let’s review Mounjaro vs. Ozempic.
Mounjaro vs. Ozempic
The main distinction between Ozempic and Mounjaro is the type of drug they are. Ozempic is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1s). Mounjaro is a combination drug that acts on the GLP-1 receptor and another brain receptor called the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).
Both Mounjaro and Ozempic keep GLP-1s and GIP receptors activated for up to a week, as opposed to the short bursts when the body naturally creates the receptors. Elongating it will prevent too much sugar from circulating in the blood (lowering blood sugar), slow down digestion, and help keep you feeling full as it tells the brain that you’re satiated.
Mounjaro vs. Ozempic for weight loss
While both Mounjaro and Ozempic have shown impressive weight loss results when taken regularly and coupled with lifestyle changes, Mounjaro shows comparatively better weight loss results when taken with the highest available dosage.
The dosage of Ozempic and Mounjaro affected the results heavily. It is as follows,
- When taking 1 mg of Ozempic for weight loss combined with diet and exercise, participants lost an average of 7% of their body weight in one year. A weekly dosage of 2.4 mg of Ozempic for weight loss has resulted in an average weight loss of 15% of body weight.
- When taking Mounjaro for weight loss, over half the participants in one study lost over 20% of their body weight.
Mounjaro vs. Ozempic Cost
The costs of Mounjaro and Ozempic are very similar.
On average, the cost of Mounjaro is $1100 a month, while Ozempic costs around $1000 per month. Thus, the costs of Mounjaro vs. Ozempic seem to favor Ozempic, if only slightly.
Even though cost isn’t the only factor when deciding the right drug for you, it still plays an important role in your decision. This is emphasized by the fact that Mounjaro and Ozempic are already expensive drugs to begin with.
But according to this CNN article, there has been an Ozempic shortage, caused primarily by its easy accessibility to the general public. Thus, diabetic patients that need it most have limited access to the potentially life-changing drug.
So far, when considering the efficiency, prices, and availability, Mounjara seems to have the upper hand.
Mounjaro vs. Ozempic vs. Wegovy
Wegovy | Ozempic | Mounjaro | |
FDA approval | Currently the only weight loss drug approved for weight loss management. | It is unlikely that Ozempic will be approved since it contains the same active ingredient (semaglutide) in the same dosage (2.4 mg) as Wegovy. | Mounjaro will seemingly receive FDA approval in 2023. |
Weight loss results | Patients have shown 15% weight loss | Resulted in significantly higher weight loss of 20% using the highest dosage of 15 mg in patients without type 2 diabetes | Patients have shown 6% to 7% weight loss |
All three weight loss drugs must be accompanied by lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise.
Given the similar nature of the medication, Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovy share the same side effects. The most common ones, which have been reported by at least 5% of the study participants, are,
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Decreased appetite
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Indigestion (dyspepsia)
- Abdominal pains
Mounjaro should not be used if anyone in your family has a history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you suffer from Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). Furthermore, Mounjaro may cause thyroid cancer or tumors in the thyroid.
For further information on Mounjaro, including how to split the Mounjaro dosage, additional warnings, and instructions, visit here. Mounjaro coupons and concessions when purchasing Mounjaro for regular usage can also be viewed here.
But, of course, it must be noted that though the average weight loss results and price favors Mounjaro, it may differ from individual to individual. One must consider all these factors carefully and choose the drug course that fits. If you face any adverse side effects, either change your medication or seek alternative treatment methods, depending on your physician’s advice.
Final Words
When comparing Mounjaro vs. Ozempic, one can come across many similarities and specialties of each drug. But upon overall assessment, one can conclude that Mounjaro seems to be the best option.
But keep in mind that Mounjaro, Ozempic, Wegovy, and other weight loss drugs will have little effect if you do not make positive lifestyle changes and take the drug course consistently.