r/Semaglutide • u/MaybePrestigious9485 • 1d ago
How come tirzepatide estimated weight loss is higher than semaglutide?
Which is better? What are the differences? I keep reading differing articles. Please share your thoughts! :)
45
u/DaCozPuddingPop 1d ago
The 'better' one is the one that works for you.
The difference is that where semaglutide is a GLP1 agonist, tirz is also a GIP agonist - which reportedly will have more metabolic effect.
However, if semaglutide works for you, it works for you - I lost 70 pounds on sema with relative ease. Never felt a need to switch.
1
u/MaybePrestigious9485 10h ago
That’s amazing! Congrats to you! 🥳 I don’t really need to lose so much or so quickly so I think sema is fine. The main thing I was thinking about is that the side effects are less bad with tirz? Is that true?
1
u/DaCozPuddingPop 5h ago
It'll vary from person to person. They're both prone to very similar sides: constipation, diarrhea, nausea etc.
I would say try treating the side effects first before considering a switch, beit zofran for nausea or whatever else.
20
u/AdBusy4163 1d ago
Sema is a single agonist and tirz is a dual. Bigger impact
13
u/JudeBootswiththefur 1d ago
There is a triple being researched as well. They call it G3. I read a year to market, not sure how true that is, I think Novo Nordisk makes it.
12
u/HPLover0130 1d ago
Retatrutide (Lilly). Itll likely be out in 2026 from what I’ve seen.
8
u/Dustin_marie 1d ago
It’s already available on the 🩶 market
2
u/HPLover0130 1d ago
Yes and many people are not comfortable with that, or with meds that have not been FDA approved.
1
14
u/irrision 1d ago
In trials tirzepatide showed 20.2% weight loss where semiglutide showed about 16%. The numbers vary a bit on this though depending on the length of the study.
Tirzepatide has less side effects on average in trials as well.
That said if you're using semiglutide and it's working for you save yourself the money unless you're dead set on max weightloss up front. The reality is both of these drugs will be replaced by better ones in the next few years probably with something even more effective and with less side effects so there will always be greener grass.
12
u/No-Country6348 1d ago
I was able to lose all the weight on sema, now have a bmi of 18 and been maintaining for 1 1/2 years. I think the numbers are based on studies for only a specific time period, so you can continue losing more % of body weight after that control period in the study data. My total loss was 28% body weight.
5
u/BagpiperAnonymous 1d ago
What do you do maintain?
5
u/No-Country6348 1d ago
I usually do about .35 every week. I play around with it but when I try to lower the dose or spread it out, I get very hungry and weight creeps back on.
2
u/rubytuesday2022 1d ago
Are you maintaining on sema or off?
2
u/No-Country6348 1d ago
On
5
u/rubytuesday2022 1d ago
Gotcha! Wasn’t sure if your dr still agreed to prescribe it being a low bmi
12
u/Ohiostatehack 1d ago
I did Wegovy for a year and a half. I stalled out after 9 months. Then switched to Zepbound and started dropping again.
It’s a difference between it having one agonist vs two.
10
u/HPLover0130 1d ago
In trials tirzepatide showed to lose more than Semaglutide, that’s why. Most people have less side effects on tirzepatide and generally lose more weight on tirzepatide but not always the case - everyone’s body is different!
1
u/MaybePrestigious9485 10h ago
I read about both before starting and decided on sema but now I’m somewhat regretting it..? Idk. I don’t have HORRIBLE side effects on sema. It’s only my 2nd week now, but I am on the toilet a bit more but it’s super manageable.
I have definitely been having some increased irritability and bad dreams which I didn’t even worry about before starting sema. Like I wasn’t in my head about it, but now a little over a week in it’s hitting.
For many years, I’ve been on bupropion, escitalopram and lamotrigine and I’m wondering if I should wait it out a bit longer to see if these mental side effects subside or if I should ask my doctor about increasing my dosage a little bit.
1
u/MaybePrestigious9485 10h ago
But I also don’t think I’ve been eating enough which could definitely be adding to the irritably. But the dreams are really not pleasant.
1
u/HPLover0130 9h ago
Give it a month or so, most side effects dissipate in time. If your mental health worsens to the point you’re having SI then definitely talk to your doctor immediately. But yes, not enough calories can impact mood, especially irritability. If the dreams are bothersome enough to you then yeah, Semaglutide may not be for you. Tirzepatide may or may not cause the same side effects.
8
u/Delhijoker 1d ago
It works better. On mounjaro I lost 90 pounds in 11 months . Lost insurance for 5 months and gained back 50 then got Ozempic. After 7 months I’m finally back at my lowest (90 total). Ironically my insurance doesn’t cover mounjaro for diabetes but covers Zepbound for weight loss. So I’m now looking for a doctor willing to switch me back.
2
4
u/Negative_Macaroon407 1d ago
I'm about to switch. I'm almost to a full dose of sema and still not experiencing a reduction in food noise, cravings, or feeling a sense of being full sooner. On the bright side, I have zero negative effects, but I also have no positives. Ugh.
2
5
u/wabisuki 16h ago
Semaglutide utilizes synthetic GLP-1, while Terzepatide combines synthetic GLP-1 with another synthetic hormone called GIP. Both of these hormones promote insulin release, GLP-1 is more involved in appetite control and reducing blood sugar, whereas GIP has a stronger role in managing fat storage and improving overall metabolic function. In clinical studies, Terzepatide outperformed Semaglutide by a considerable margin. Also, many can tolerate Terzepatide more than Semaglutide - some will describe Semaglutide as a sledgehammer compared to Terzepatide being a mallet as it pertains to potential side effects.
3
u/whatever32657 1d ago
i don't buy the estimated weight loss figures. i lost 80 in sema, which was almost 40% of my body weight. lots of similar stats here
3
3
u/Kicksastlxc 16h ago
They are not estimated- but average - which means by definition some will lose more - add me into that also lost 34% and at goal
1
14
u/User9705 1d ago
i've taken both and it's been the same for me. alot of it is supporting it and exercising on top. down from 265 to 182. semi foer some reason works better for me not because it works, but punishes you if you eat poorly at times.
3
2
u/MaybePrestigious9485 1d ago
Punishes you how?
4
u/Eltex 1d ago
Eat something bad, get sick later.
7
u/Chihuahuapug 1d ago
I feel this. I ate an extra taco last night without waiting to see how full I was and it felt like a Thanksgiving dinner.
3
u/User9705 1d ago
Yes. Trez doesn’t do that, but it’s like a bad side effect that actually is useful.
2
2
u/MaybePrestigious9485 1d ago
Oh okay, got it
3
u/User9705 1d ago
Ya it’s a bad side effect that is actually helpful. Eat clean, you’re good but eat poor and it will be toilet time.
2
1
u/noseatbeltsong 20h ago
when i was on sema the nausea was really bad at first, and then randomly cropped up here and there during the 4 months i was on it. with tirz, i had flu like symptoms the first day, and i threw up prob like 5 times the first week, every since then (2 months ago) theres zero side effects. my dr switched me from sema to tirz on a higher dose than the conversion scale recommends, so i think my body was just adjusting to it
-1
-2
u/melanated2020 1d ago
Or you could get zepbound which has both..
1
u/MaybePrestigious9485 1d ago
I’m also looking for an affordable option though and my insurance won’t approve or cover for me :(
•
u/AutoModerator 1d ago
Thanks for posting to r/semaglutide!
A brief reminder about our rules. We do not permit the discussion of non-FDA approved formulations of semaglutide, nor do we permit selling or offering for sale any medication, including by private message. Do not request or respond to a private message from anyone offering such, they are not endorsed by this sub.
If you’re just starting out, you may want to review our FAQ. This is not intended to discourage discussion but merely supplement it.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.