Tirzepatide or Semaglutide:
Which Is Better for Weight Loss?
Tirzepatide and semaglutide are two hot new weight-loss medications. They have skyrocketed in popularity since being FDA-approved in 2022 (Mounjaro) and 2017 (Ozempic), respectively. Millions of people use these drugs to help them reach their health and weight loss goals. If you’re thinking of jumping on the weight loss injection train, you may have trouble choosing between tirzepatide and semaglutide. Which one is the better option for weight loss?
The answer to this question isn’t the same for everyone. It depends on your goal and how your body responds to either of these medications. Your insurance coverage could also play a big role in which treatment you end up selecting. Here are some things to know about tirzepatide and semaglutide to help aid your decision.
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What Is Tirzepatide?
Tirzepatide is a drug that acts similarly to the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) in the body. It also mimics another hormone called glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). Both of these hormones help regulate blood glucose levels and appetite.
Some tirzepatide formulas are FDA-approved for treating type 2 diabetes, and others are approved for weight loss and weight management.
What Is Semaglutide?
Semaglutide shares the label of GLP-1 agonist with tirzepatide. However, semaglutide is not a dual-agonist like tirzepatide because it does not mimic GIP. Knowing this is important when choosing between tirzepatide and semaglutide because dual agonists may deliver better weight loss results.
However, even though it only works on GLP-1, semaglutide is hardly lightweight in terms of long-term weight reduction and control. This powerful weight loss drug has a solid reputation for boosting weight loss efforts. It’s also commonly prescribed for patients with type 2 diabetes.
How Do Tirzepatide and Semaglutide Work?
How Does Tirzepatide Work?
Tirzepatide boosts insulin secretion in the body and improves insulin sensitivity, making it easier for the body to lose excess weight. Insulin resistance is the opposite of insulin sensitivity. People with insulin resistance typically find it nearly impossible to lose excess pounds without taking extreme measures.
Insulin resistance causes cells in the muscles and liver to no longer allow glucose inside for storage purposes. As a result, excess glucose travels throughout the bloodstream and eventually gets converted by the body into fat. The body stores excess fat in various places, leading to weight gain.
Insulin resistance is also a common feature among people with diabetes and prediabetes. If you have insulin resistance, tirzepatide or semaglutide can help improve your insulin sensitivity. However, tirzepatide may be more effective at this because of its status as a dual agonist.
Tirzepatide also works by delaying the rate of gastric emptying. That’s why people who take the drug tend to feel full long after meals. They are also more likely to consume fewer calories because they become full much faster while taking the drug.
How Does Semaglutide Work?
Semaglutide works in many of the same ways tirzepatide does. It helps improve insulin sensitivity so the body can more easily shed excess fat. Certain semaglutide formulas are FDA-approved type 2 diabetes medications. Taking them may help people get their blood sugar under control while happily losing weight as a side effect.
It’s important to note that no one should stop taking prescribed diabetes medications unless given the go-ahead by their doctor. So, whether you end up taking tirzepatide or semaglutide, that doesn’t mean you can or should stop taking other medications without your healthcare provider’s approval.
Semaglutide also suppresses appetite and may decrease cravings for certain unhealthy foods. Many people find it easier to eat nutrient-dense foods while on semaglutide because they no longer desire unhealthy meals and sweets. If they get an occasional craving for junk food, they typically feel satisfied after a few bites.
Like tirzepatide, semaglutide also slows the rate at which the stomach empties. As digestion slows down, patients tend to feel hungry much less frequently throughout the day. This typically leads to the consumption of fewer calories and consequent weight loss.
What Are the Benefits of Tirzepatide and Semaglutide?
If you’re still struggling to decide between tirzepatide vs semaglutide, you should know there really isn’t a bad choice between them. Both medications share many of the same basic functions and have good patient satisfaction rates. They both also share the following list of impressive health and weight management benefits:
- Appetite suppression
- Weight loss
- Blood glucose management
- Reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, and other obesity-related diseases
- Improved self-confidence
Because it is a dual receptor agonist, tirzepatide may deliver even more pronounced weight loss and glycemic control results.
Effectiveness of Tirzepatide and Semaglutide for Weight Loss
How Effective Is Tirzepatide for Weight Loss?
There’s no question that tirzepatide injections result in impressive body weight reductions for many people. In a 72-week study of Mounjaro (a medication containing tirzepatide), the majority of participants receiving once-per-week injections lost at least 20% of their body weight. This proves just how remarkable tirzepatide is for helping people shed pounds even when other methods don’t work. But it’s still not easy to answer whether you should take tirzepatide or semaglutide for weight loss because semaglutide is also highly effective.
How Effective Is Semaglutide for Weight Loss?
Similarly to tirzepatide, semaglutide is renowned for its ability to help people get rid of stubborn excess weight. One double-blind trial showed just how effective the drug can be for the average overweight person. Study participants received weekly semaglutide injections of 2.4 mg over a period of 68 weeks.
At the end of the trial, placebo group members experienced a mean body weight reduction of just 2.4%. On the other hand, participants who received injections of semaglutide experienced an impressive mean body weight reduction of 14.9% during the same period.
How Do Tirzepatide and Semaglutide Differ?
Despite their similarities and shared reputations as top weight loss medications, tirzepatide and semaglutide have some key differences. Reviewing these differences may help you determine which drug is the best fit for your needs.
Dosages
Both tirzepatide and semaglutide require once-weekly doses, but they don’t have the same dosage amounts. Tirzepatide injections usually start with a 5 mg dose. Patients receive slowly increasing dosages over time until they reach a maximum of up to 20 mg per week.
Semaglutide dosages start much smaller. Most patients start with a 0.25mg weekly dose, gradually working up to a 2.4 mg weekly dose as their bodies tolerate it.
Tirzepatide’s higher dosage may partially explain why this drug tends to have slightly better weight loss results than semaglutide. It may also explain why the insulin and blood glucose benefits of tirzepatide are also slightly elevated.
Side effects
The side effects aren’t much different between tirzepatide vs semaglutide. Both drugs can potentially cause:
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Heartburn or acid reflux
- Bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Increased gas
- Localized injection site reactions
- Headaches
- Dizziness
People are most likely to experience these unwanted symptoms within the first few weeks of receiving either medication. Once the body acclimates to the injections, symptoms tend to decrease. Providers can also modify the weekly dosage to prevent symptoms from continuing. However, some people never experience relief from unwanted side effects and may have to discontinue either medication.
Rarely, life-threatening complications can occur after taking tirzepatide or semaglutide injections. These may include gallbladder disease, kidney problems, pancreatitis, serious allergic reactions, hypoglycemia, or diabetic retinopathy. Both medications also have a boxed warning for causing thyroid tumors in rats during animal trials. However, the same result wasn’t observed in humans.
Manufacturer
American-based Eli Lilly and Co. makes two leading tirzepatide medications (Mounjaro® and Zepbound®). The Danish company Novo Nordisk makes the popular semaglutide medications Ozempic® and Wegovy®.
How to Boost Your Results While Taking Tirzepatide or Semaglutide
No weight loss medication can outperform an unhealthy lifestyle for the long term. Sure, you may enjoy short-term benefits while taking tirzepatide or semaglutide. But if you want to keep your new figure for years to come, you must also put in some work. Your daily choices can have a huge impact on your weight management success. Here are a few ways to boost your health and weight reduction results while taking weight loss injections:
- Quit smoking and abusing illicit substances
- Aim to get at least seven hours of sleep each night
- Eat nutrient-dense meals that fuel your body the right way
- Avoid indulging in fast food, sugary treats, and calorie-dense beverages
- Exercise for at least 15 minutes every day
Making lifestyle changes can seem challenging at first. But if you stick with them for a few months, they’ll become habits. Soon, you’ll feel a positive difference in how you look. Eventually, you won’t want to go back to living an unhealthy lifestyle that makes you feel tired, sick, and unhappy.
Say Goodbye to Stubborn Pounds With FDA-Approved Weight Loss Injections
Still trying to understand the benefits and drawbacks of tirzepatide vs semaglutide? Schedule a weight loss injection consultation with the skilled injectors at Slim by TRYM. We’re experts on both tirzepatide and semaglutide injections and how they differ from each other. We’ll help you learn which GLP-1 agonist is best for your health and weight loss goals.
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Dr. Lowney & his entire staff truly make you feel like family!!! So warm and loving. The results are truly life-changing, and there is nothing better than loving the way you look!!! He lives up to his name, he honestly is & forever will be Dr. “Feel Good” ❤️ his work speaks for itself. All around amazing
Love Dr. Lowney and his wonderful staff! Had the best experience, and I will definitely be a lifelong client. After spending many years in the gym, Dr. Lowney gave me the results that I was working so hard for.
Dr. Lowney is the best. The staff is also very nice and helpful. I am very happy with my results, and I highly recommend them!!
Dr. Lowney and his team are amazing, super attentive. A great space where I was very well attended, I recommend it.
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