GLP-1 Comparison
Four medications, two active ingredients, and very different results. Here's how the major GLP-1 weight-loss drugs compare on administration, average weight loss from clinical trials, and the side effects most people actually feel.
In the STEP 1 trial, adults on semaglutide 2.4 mg (Wegovy) lost an average of 14.9% of body weight at 68 weeks, compared with 2.4% on placebo. In SURMOUNT-1, adults on tirzepatide 15 mg (Mounjaro / Zepbound) lost an average of 20.9% of body weight at 72 weeks. Ozempic, dosed for diabetes at up to 2.0 mg, typically produces a smaller weight loss of around 6% because the target dose is lower than Wegovy's.
Averages hide a wide range. Roughly a third of people on tirzepatide lose more than 25% of body weight, while a smaller group responds only modestly to either drug. Nutrition, protein intake and resistance training are the biggest levers on how much of that loss is fat rather than muscle.
All four drugs share the same broad side-effect profile: nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, reflux and fatigue, worst in the first weeks of a new dose. Tirzepatide tends to feel slightly better tolerated than semaglutide at equivalent weight-loss levels, but individual response varies widely. Rare but serious risks (pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, thyroid concerns) apply across the class — screening and monitoring are prescriber territory.
On average weight-loss numbers alone, tirzepatide (Mounjaro or Zepbound) leads, with semaglutide 2.4 mg (Wegovy) close behind. Ozempic is a strong option when weight loss is a secondary goal alongside diabetes management, but its licensed dose is lower than Wegovy's. In real life, the best GLP-1 is the one your prescriber can access consistently, at a dose your body tolerates, alongside a nutrition plan that keeps protein and fibre high.
Verdant's GLP-1 Companion tailors protein targets, hydration, symptom tracking and a taper plan around Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro or Zepbound.
Educational content, not medical advice. Weight-loss figures are trial averages; talk to your prescriber before starting, changing or stopping a GLP-1 medication.