Zepbound vs Mounjaro: How it Works?

Zepbound vs Mounjaro, It is common for the same drug to have more than one brand name. This usually happens when a drug can be used for more than one thing. Two new examples are Mounjaro and Zepbound, which are both brand names for tirzepatide.

Tirzepatide was first looked at as a way to treat Type 2 diabetes. But during clinical studies, scientists found that it helped a lot of people lose a lot of weight. Because of this, the FDA approved tirzepatide as a drug for both diabetes and weight loss.

What is Mounjaro?

Tirazepatide is also known under the brand name Mounjaro. Tirzepatide is the same thing that makes Zepbound work. Mounjaro, on the other hand, was cleared by the FDA in May 2022 to treat type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, Zepbound was cleared for long-term weight management.

Zepbound vs Mounjaro, Mounjaro is also made by the drug company Eli Lilly, just like Zepbound. Additionally, it is a drug in the GIP/GLP-1 group.

It works the same way as Zepbound, which is given as a shot once a week. It helps the pancreas control how much insulin is released, as was already said. It also slows down the intake of food, which makes you feel fuller and makes you eat less.

It has been shown that bigger doses of tirzepatide can change body weight. It is, however, meant to help people with diabetes, not help them lose weight. To put it another way, Mounjaro can make you lose weight. Off-label use of the drug is prescribing it to help people lose weight.

What is Zepbound? 

Tirzepatide is the main ingredient that is found in both Mounjaro and Zepbound. It is a single molecule called pirzepatide that can act like glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). Both GLP-1 and GIP are hormones that your body makes on its own. Tirezepatide works on both the GLP-1 and GIP receptors, which has many other benefits as well. For example, it lowers blood sugar and makes people eat less and not crave food. There are, however, some important changes between the two drugs.

Get to Know Mount Kenya

If you have type 2 diabetes, the drug tirzepatide is known as Mounjaro. It has been cleared by the FDA. It lowers blood sugar by targeting both the GLP-1 and GIP receptors. This makes the pancreas produce more insulin. Along with that, it can help people with type 2 diabetes lose weight and make insulin work better. A study discovered that in people with diabetes who took the highest amount of Mounjaro, the average haemoglobin A1c level dropped by 2% after 40 weeks. This is a sign that the blood sugar level was well controlled.

It’s important to know that a haemoglobin A1c level of 6.5% or higher means someone has type 2 diabetes, while a normal level is 5.6% or less. If you have type 2 diabetes and your haemoglobin A1c is 7.5%, it might go down by 2% after taking Mounjaro, putting it in the normal range at 5.5%.

Zepbound vs. Mounjaro: A Comparison of Drugs

Even though Zepbound vs Mounjaro both have the same active ingredient, there are a few important differences between the two that you should think about if you want to try either one.

Indication Approved by the FDA

In 2022, Zepbound vs Mounjaro was given the OK by the FDA to treat type 2 diabetes. Studies done since then have shown that tirzepatide is a safe and successful way for people who are overweight to lose a lot of weight. Because of this, the FDA approved Zepbound for weight loss in November 2023.

Dosages

The doses of both Zepbound vs Mounjaro range from 2.5 mg to 15 mg, with 2.5 mg amounts coming after each other until the maximum dose is reached. A one-time-use pen is used to give the medicine once a week. The pens are made to give one full dose, like 5 mg, instead of two doses of 2.5 mg. Zepbound vs Mounjaro, the amount of the medicine is usually raised every four weeks, as long as the person can handle it and it is safe to do so. Depending on how they are reacting to the drug, some patients stay on lower doses instead of going up to the full 15 mg dose.

Who Can Use?

Because Zepbound vs Mounjaro are FDA-approved for different uses (indications), the standards to be able to use them are also different. Mounjaro is allowed to treat adults with type 2 diabetes. If a person does not have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, their insurance may not pay for this medicine. Adults who are obese (BMI 30+) or overweight (BMI 27+) and have a medical condition tied to their weight can take Zepbound. That being said, insurance companies may have their own BMI cut-offs that are not the same as these. For instance, with some insurance plans, Zepbound coverage might not be available to people who weigh 40 pounds or more.

Coverage for insurance

Both Zepbound vs Mounjaro are expensive drugs, and your insurance plan may or may not cover them. Most insurance plans need these medicines to be approved ahead of time, which means that your doctor has to give your insurance company information to make sure you are allowed to take the medicine. Patients may have to pay copayments or deductibles before they get full coverage, even if the medicine is paid. It is important to keep in mind that even if a medication in Zepbound vs Mounjaro, is mentioned as a covered benefit, there may be specific requirements for who can get it. One example is Mounjaro. It may be a “covered benefit,” but if you don’t have type 2 diabetes, it’s very unlikely that your insurance will pay for this medicine.

Zepbound vs Mounjaro, You can look at your plan’s drug schedule, which is a full list of all the generic and brand-name prescription drugs that are covered, to find out which ones are covered. Talking to your insurance company directly is another choice to find out which medicines are covered by your plan.

Side Effects: Both Zepbound vs Mounjaro can cause side effects that you should think about before you start taking them. Some common side effects are:

• Heartburn Feeling sick
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
• Pain in the abdomen

Another possible side effect is fatigue. Gallbladder disease is another possibility. Other uncommon side effects have been talked about. As you take more of the medicine, these side effects are more likely to happen. If any of your medications start to make you feel bad, you should talk to your doctor right away so that they can come up with a way to help you.

Results of Zepbound Weight Loss

Zepbound vs Mounjaro, Medication called Zepbound is the only one FDA-approved for weight loss, even though both Mounjaro and it contain tirzepatide. Different people can lose different amounts of weight while taking Zepbound. This is because weight loss depends on many things, such as diet, exercise, environment, medical background, and other medicines you may be taking.

Zepbound has shown in clinical studies to help people lose weight more effectively than any other FDA-approved weight loss drug to date. Based on the SURMOUNT-1 and SURMOUNT-3 trials, people who took the largest dose of Zepbound lost an average of 22.5-26% of their body weight.

What Does It Feel Like to Take Zepbound vs Mounjaro?

If you want to start either drug, you should talk to your doctor or nurse about it. Before suggesting a drug to you, your doctor will look at things like your medical background, the drugs you are already taking, the side effects they have had in the past, and your insurance benefits. When you are taking either drug, keeping in close contact with your doctor can also help you make changes to your lifestyle, like eating less and being more active, that are important parts of your treatment plan. Both medicines have set times for when to be taken, and seeing your doctor regularly can help make sure that the medicine is still safe and working for you.

You might find that these medicines make you less hungry and make you feel full faster. Some people say that they get heartburn or feel sick more often, especially after eating hot or fatty foods.

Zepbound vs Mounjaro, If you have diabetes and are taking Mounjaro, your blood sugar levels should start to get better. Take Zepbound to lose weight. After 3 months, you should have lost at least 5% of your body weight. If that goal hasn’t been met, it’s less likely that this medication will help, and other treatment options should be thought about.

Find the Best Fit for You Between Zepbound vs Mounjaro

Do you want to start Zepbound vs Mounjaro? Talk to an expert on weight loss about your choices! At FORM, each patient works one-on-one with a board-certified obesity medicine doctor who will carefully go over FDA-approved medication choices that are safe for you and your needs if needed. You’ll also work with a Registered Dietitian with a lot of experience to make a weight loss plan that is unique to you and includes changes to your diet, exercise, and way of thinking.