Wegovy and more recently Mounjaro have been approved for weight management in the UK. Both medications are used to treat type 2 diabetes as well as obesity and belong to the class of medications called Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues. Yet, there are differences between the two medications. 

Wegovy (semaglutide)

Wegovy is a prescription medication that is used to help adults with obesity or those who are overweight lose weight and keep it off. It uses the active ingredient called semaglutide. It is a once-weekly injection that works by copying the action of a gut hormone called GLP-1. GLP-1 helps to control appetite and make you feel full after eating. Wegovy may also help slow down the movement of food through the digestive system. This can help you feel fuller for long time.

Mounjaro (tirzepatide)

Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) is an injectable prescription medicine that must be used along with a  healthy diet and exercise to improve blood sugar (glucose) in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Mounjaro is now also approved for weight management. It is a dual-acting medicine which works by mimicking the effects of two natural incretin hormones, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). GIP and GLP-1 help to control blood sugar levels by increasing insulin secretion, slowing gastric emptying, and suppressing glucagon secretion.

So, Mounjaro unlike Wegovy has Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide (GIP) in addition to Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1).

Similarities between the medications

As mentioned earlier, both medications are used for treatment in type 2 diabetes and obesity but the efficacy varies. With both medications, there comes side effects which are similar such as constipation, nausea, vomiting just to name a few. 

Both medications require the patient to have a BMI over 30 to be approved to be prescribed the medication. To find out if these weight loss medications suit you, please consult with your doctor. 

Differences between the medications

• Wegovy is a weight loss medication to help those with high BMI’s lose weight whilst the official use of Mounjaro is type 2 diabetes. However, more recently, Mounjaro has been approved by the FDA to be used for weight management too in the UK.
• Wegovy is suitable to be prescribed by a specialist for children over the age of 12 years old however, Mounjaro is for 18 years old or older. Studies are underway for the use of Mounjaro in the younger population.
• The higher doses of Mounjaro (tirzepatide) are more potent compared to the higher doses of Wegovy (semaglutide) which therefore can result in higher percentages of weight loss with Mounjaro.

How do the medications compare in weight loss?

Here is where we see varied results. The active ingredients are different in strength and effectiveness depending on the dose. Below we have shared two tables which show the weight lost when taking Wegovy (semaglutide) vs taking Mounjaro (tirzepatide) 

Wegovy

Mounjaro

We can see from the above that Mounjaro is more effective for weight management with studies showing higher percentages of weight loss however, results may vary for each individual and above is from research studies. 

Another thing to note for these medications is that they may vary in price and also availability of these medications, especially the higher doses of Mounjaro is limited in the UK. 

You should always consult with your doctor to find out which of these medications will be suitable for you to make sure you are safe to go ahead with the medication.