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Losing weight can be difficult to do on your own, so more and more people are getting outside help with it that can get them more drastic results than they could on their own. Based on what’s in the media, many people looking to lose weight in the modern day are turning to drugs that can bring about rapid weight loss. The most well known brand name is Ozempic, but the use of similar weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro are picking up speed as well. So if you’re looking to lose weight right now, you could be wondering whether Wegovy or Mounjaro would suit you best, and if that is the case, you can find all the information you need right here.
Wegovy and Mounjaro are among a class of weight loss drugs that are taking over the weight loss industry and giving out results faster than any weight loss drugs before them. They are very similar drugs that give out similar results, but there are some fundamental differences that make each one ideal for different kinds of people. So how are Wegovy and Mounjaro similar, and what are their differences?
What Is Wegovy?
Wegovy is a drug that is prescribed for weight loss purposes. It is a form of the drug semaglutide, which comes in many different brand names. Each brand name is made of the same base ingredients but they all have fundamental differences. Wegovy comes with its own dosage and different features than other similar brands on the market. It could be right for you while another version of semaglutide may not suit you as well.
Wegovy has an effect that controls the appetite. It will keep your blood sugar at good levels, and also keep you from having too big an appetite. Wegovy will lower your appetite intensely, which is where the weight loss comes from. Wegovy is injected into your skin weekly and can control your blood sugar although that is not what it is intended for. You also need to fit certain criteria in order to get a Wegovy prescription from your doctor. It isn’t something that you can just walk in and get from the shelves.
What Is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is an anti diabetic medication that is used to treat both diabetes and excess weight. Like Wegovy, it is taken as a once-weekly injection, but it is used to treat diabetes as well as excess weight. Mounjaro is meant to be taken along with an improved diet and physical activity, and it can bring about significant weight loss and control your blood sugar levels.
Mounjaro requires a prescription, and a doctor will teach you how to use it before you have to take it on your own. You need to inject Mounjaro under your skin, in the stomach, the arm, or in the upper thigh. You should also make sure to use a different injection site each time to avoid developing any irritation. You will need to fit certain criteria to get a prescription and insurance doesn’t always cover it, but if you have type II diabetes or a high BMI, Mounjaro can really help.
Mounjaro comes in a pen that contains several doses in color coded pens meant to represent your dosage. It can be used until it runs out, and then you will need to get a refill that you will take on the same schedule. The lowest dose of Mounjaro you can get is 2.5 mg and the highest done on the market is 15 mg. You can always go to the doctor to lower or up your dose depending on your needs.
How Do Wegovy and Mounjaro Work?
Wegovy and Mounjaro are both GLP-1 agonists. A GLP-1 agonist is a substance that is meant as a replacement for the GLP-1 in the body. The GLP-1 hormone doesn’t function well for people who have type II diabetes, and it is a major reason that they struggle with their glucose levels. And it is because of its effects on regulating blood sugar levels that it has the added effect of suppressing appetite to the point of causing rapid weight loss within short periods of time.
The GLP-1 hormone medication prompts the pancreas to produce more insulin when the body’s natural GLP-1 is unable to do the job. It makes a great replacement for the body’s GLP-1, and doesn’t cause negative effects for people who don’t have diabetes. Both of these medications are said to work best when they are used along with an improved diet and exercise regime. They will give you a push, but it is recommended that you take steps to reach your goals as you take either of these medications.
What Are the Main Differences Between Them?
Wegovy is a brand name of the drug semaglutide, and Mounjaro is a brand name of the drug tirzepatide. These drugs both target GLP-1 agonists the same, but one major difference is that tirzepatide also targets GIP receptor agonists. GIP receptor agonists are glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptides. They are another appetite regulating hormone that has 42 amino acid hormones produced by endocrine k-cells. They are released in response to nutrients. When nutrients are taken into your body through food, that is when GIP is released. There is speculation that tirzepatide is more effective than semaglutide for that reason. It targets more than one hormone in the body.
So far, Mounjaro has been found to lead to more weight loss than Wegovy. While this has been observed by professionals many times, official studies are needed on this matter for this claim to be officially made. And while the claim hasn’t been officially announced, it has been noted. Mounjaro can bring about more weight loss despite being approved for diabetes treatment, so if you want that extra weight loss benefit, you will have to get it prescribed off label. The active ingredient in Mounjaro is approved for weight loss under a different name, Zepbound.
Each medication is also prescribed to a different group of people with some overlaps. Mounjaro is FDA approved to treat diabetes in adults, while Wegovy is approved for weight loss in adults and children over 12. Mounjaro is also often used for weight loss, but since it isn’t approved directly for that purpose, it isn’t likely that you will find insurance to cover it for weight loss. So if someone is under 18 and wants to lose weight, Wegovy is the only option. For adults, it could depend on your preferences and your finances.
There are a few additional stipulations you need to fulfill to get a Wegovy prescription. On top of being over 12 years old, you also have to have a BMI of 30 or higher, and if you don’t have that, you can have a BMI of 27 along with a weight related illness. To get a Mounjaro prescription, you need to have type II diabetes.
Side Effects
Wegovy and Mounjaro can cause a set of side effects that can range from mild to severe, and they mainly affect the gut. Individuals often experience different sets of side effects at different levels based on where they are in their treatment. The most common side effects for both drugs include nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting. Other less common side effects can be fatigue, hair loss, or insomnia. They will often come on at the beginning of treatment as your body is getting adjusted to the medication, and again each time you up your dosage.
There are very small chances that GLP-1 agonists can cause low blood sugar and low blood pressure. These side effects aren’t likely, but these medications help to lower blood sugar and blood pressure, and can presumably cause them to get too low when combined with other factors like excessively low food intake. Low blood pressure and low blood sugar can come with side effects like drowsiness, sweating, dizziness, and rapid heart beat. They both can be quickly fixed with food and drink products, but can be really serious if ignored.
Many side effects that come from both of these drugs are quite similar, but there are some rare side effects that one is more likely to cause than the other. There is a rare chance that complications with your pancreas can occur when you use Wegovy. There is only a very rare chance of this, but it is still something that you should look out for. It will cause a painful swelling of the pancreas that will radiate from your stomach to your back and it is something that normally requires emergency surgery.
Mounjaro can cause problems for you if you have pre existing kidney problems. If you have pre kidney problems, they can get worse when you take Mounjaro. This isn’t necessarily a direct effect, but a result of some of the stomach related side effects that Mounjaro causes. If you lose enough fluids from diarrhea or vomiting, you can develop kidney problems from dehydration. Mounjaro gives a warning about this, but since both of these drugs can cause diarrhea and vomiting, this is a rare potential risk with both.
How You Can Manage These Side Effects
One way to deal with the side effects of serious medications is to use natural supplements, something that Dr. Emil offers a lot of. Using a powerful drug on top of another one is not ideal, and it isn’t ideal to just deal with it either, and that is why natural supplements are so great. Natural supplements allow you to seek relief without adding a bunch more side effects to your daily load. Here are some great ones you can try to ward off the gastrolienal effects that both Mounjaro and Wegovy are likely to cause:
Dr. Emil’s Multi Collagen Plus offers five types of collagen that all target the gut. Each type of collagen supports a different part of the gut, from the lining to the microbiome, and it can make your gut feel healthier over time. Type II collagen is the type you will find most abundant in this supplement, and it will help maintain everything, potentially leading to a calmer gut during your adjustment period.
If you’re lacking energy to get through the day, it could be useful to go for a natural energy supplement that can help you stay up and active. And for that there is Dr. Emil’s daily energy, which is a natural supplement designed to give you energy throughout the day. They are meant to maximize energy and mental focus with a blend of natural ingredients.
Dr. Emil’s Daily Energy supplement is packed with niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and caffeine. These substances each come with their own brand of benefits that help to keep you alert when they are combined together. Niacin is a B vitamin that turns food into energy. So if you are lacking energy, it will give you a boost from the foods you are already eating. Vitamin B6 helps to regulate melatonin, which is involved in the body’s sleep/wake cycle, and vitamin B12 gives the body what it needs to convert food into energy. And since caffeine is a stimulant, it only enhances the effects of everything else in this supplement.
Wegovy and Mounjaro are similar weight loss drugs that are having a huge impact in the culture, and it is all for their higher than average levels of effectiveness. If either one of these drugs sounds right for you, go straight to your doctor to get help starting a whole new type of weight loss journey.
