Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Finding the better of two

Mounjaro vs. Ozempic is currently an area of interest among U.S. citizens regarding their efficacy and different modes of action, and why not? These two are the most popular brands in the U.S. that help with type 2 diabetes. We are going to do an in-depth comparison of these two drugs and see how they impact a diabetic patient’s health, their side effects, and their bodies.

Of the two drugs, Ozempic is the first one to come to market. Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company specializing in diabetes care and other therapeutic areas, introduced Ozempic. Novo Nordisk is known for its research and development of innovative medications for diabetes, and Ozempic is one of its significant contributions to the field of diabetes treatment. Ever since its launch in 2017, Ozempic has been immensely popular among the U.S. population as well as in Europe and other parts of the world.

Mounjaro, on the other hand, was launched in 2022 by Eli Lilly and Company, a pharmaceutical company renowned for its development of insulin, which revolutionized diabetes treatment. The company’s 100+ years of pioneering work in insulin research and production have had a remarkable impact on the lives of millions of people with diabetes worldwide.

Now, before doing a Mounjaro vs. Ozempic showdown, we first need to understand what a type 2 diabetes-control medicine actually is and how it works.

Understanding Type 2 Diabetes:

Type 2 diabetes is a long-term health problem where your blood sugar constantly remains too high because your body can’t use insulin properly. Insulin is like a key that helps sugar enter your cells for energy, and type 2 diabetics fail to get sugar into the cells. It increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney issues, and nerve damage. It can also harm your eyes, causing vision problems. Poorly managed diabetes can lead to amputations, as it can damage blood vessels and nerves in the feet. Risk factors include family history, being overweight, and an unhealthy lifestyle.

Type 2 diabetes is generally treated by exercising regularly and strictly monitoring the diet with conventional medicine like metformin or sulphonylureas, but still, millions of people fail to control their blood sugar levels despite following all these

Why not use implants for type 2 diabetes instead of medication?

Although implants have been designed for type 1 diabetes, no such implants have been developed for type 2 diabetes. This is because type 2 diabetes is a complex disease, and it is not fully understood what causes it. Also, there is no single cure for it. Type 2 diabetes is primarily a metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and inadequate insulin production (unlike type 1 which is only due to insulin deficiency). This makes it difficult to develop implants that can effectively treat the disease.

People can also go for insulin pumps if they are inconvenient. This is why medicinal treatment is very important for type 2 diabetes treatment.

Mounjaro vs. Ozempic. Mode of Action

When we eat something that has glucose in it, our pancreas start producing insulin as a response to certain gut hormones called incretins, which are naturally produced in the body as a response to sugar in diet and help to regulate blood levels of glucose and appetite. Examples of incretin hormones are Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), Oxyntomodulin, Peptide YY (PYY), and Amylin, etc.,.

Mounjaro and Ozempic are injectable medications used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. They both work by mimicking the effects of incretin hormones. In subjects with type 2 diabetes, this incretin effect is diminished or no longer present. This is what Mounjaro and Ozempic have to offer.

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a dual-acting injectable medication that targets both, the GLP-1 and GIP receptors. It is the first medication of its kind to be approved by the FDA. Together, they are responsible for the incretin effect which is 2-3 times higher than insulin secretion response due to taking something oral as compared to intravenous glucose administration.

Ozempic is a brand name for the drug semaglutide. It is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, which means that it mimics the effects of the GLP-1 hormone only.

Both these drugs have number of common effects that help to regulate blood sugar levels which include:

Stimulating the pancreas to produce more insulin
Inhibiting the release of glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar levels
Slowing down the digestion of food, helps to prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high after eating. This promotes the sensation of fullness, reducing the calorie intake. This significantly helps in fighting obesity.

Result: Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Mode of Action: Mounjaro

Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Effectiveness

The clinical trials of tirzepatide for type-2 diabetes treatment have been very successful. In the SURPASS clinical trial program, tirzepatide was shown to be more effective than other diabetes medications at lowering blood sugar levels, promoting weight loss, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular events.

In the SURPASS-2 trial, (Mounjaro) tirzepatide was compared to semaglutide (Ozempic), another GLP-1 receptor agonist. Participants who took tirzepatide had a greater reduction in blood sugar levels.

The trial enrolled 1,879 participants who had be diagnosed of diabetes for 8.6 years, with a baseline A1C (Sugar bound to Hemoglobin) of 8.28% of total hemoglobin. Note: A1C is the diagnostic parameter of assessing Blood Glucose Concentration.

Mounjaro administration yielded an A1C reduction of 1.86% vs. 1.62% due to Ozempic administration.

The trial showed that both Mounjaro and Ozempic are extremely beneficial for reducing blood sugar levels.

Results: Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Effectiveness

Winner: Mounjaro

Tirzepatide is a new medication, and it is still being studied. However, the results of the clinical trials have been very promising while Ozempic is widely trusted among U.S. citizens due to its early launch and amazing results.

Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Which one fights obesity better?

Obesity and type 2 diabetes share a complex link to health conditions that have reached alarming levels of occurrence in recent years.

Obesity contributes to the development of type 2 diabetes through several mechanisms.

Excess fat, especially abdominal fat, can lead to insulin resistance. The body’s cells do not respond effectively to insulin as a result, blood sugar levels rise, leading to diabetes.
Obesity can lead to chronic inflammation. This further impairs insulin sensitivity and damages the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

Moreover, type 2 diabetes can worsen obesity. High blood sugar levels can promote fat storage (especially abdominal fat). This creates a vicious cycle of weight gain and worsening diabetes.

In the SURPASS-2 trial, the other parameter that was compared was the effect of Mounjaro and Ozempic on weight loss.

The trial observed 1,879 participants who had been diagnosed with diabetes for 8.6 years and had a baseline weight of 93.7 kg.

After 40 weeks of administration of the two drugs, the patients saw a mean reduction of 4.3 kg loss who had been given Mounjaro vs. Ozempic taking patients who observed a mean weight loss of 2.8 kg.

Both drugs possess very effective weight-loss capabilities, but Mounjaro does it better.

Results: Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Who fights obesity better?

Winner: Mounjaro

Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Which one has less side effects?

Like every other medicine in use, both of these drugs have side effects. The severity of the side effects varies, even though the effects might be common among them.

Side effects of mounjaro

The SURPASS-1 clinical trial was a 40-week placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tirzepatide in patients with type 2 diabetes. The 461 participants were randomized to receive one of three doses of tirzepatide (5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg) once weekly or placebo.

The most common side effects reported in the trial were related to the gut.

Nausea (37.2%)
Diarrhea (36.4%)
Vomiting (24.5%)
Abdominal pain (24.1%)
Constipation (10.7%)

These side effects were generally mild and transient, and most occurred during the dose increase. Few Mounjaro-using patients also observed intense stomach pain after using the drug.

Side effects of Ozempic

The most common side effects of semaglutide reported in the SUSTAIN-1 clinical trial were also gastrointestinal in nature with some additional side effects.

Nausea (18%)
Diarrhea (12%)
Vomiting (8%)
Abdominal pain (8%)
Constipation (8%)

The effects ranged from mild to severe and different doses gave different results. Other effects included

Headache
Dizziness
Fatigue
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
Allergic reactions
Gall Stones
Altered sensation of taste
Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
Thyroid tumors

Well, many of the implications of Ozempic use were also seen in Mounjaro’s administration. This is because chemically these drugs are very similar to each other and problems like the risk of developing thyroid tumors evident in the patients who use either one of these medicines.

However, in a trial with over 1,800 participants involved in comparing Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) to Semaglutide (Ozempic), the tirzepatide-using group of people reported more severe adverse events i.e., 5-7% vs. 3% while using semaglutide.

The side effects of Mounjaro also led to a greater percentage of people stopping using it i.e., 6-8.5% while discontinuation was lower in Ozempic-using patients which was 4%.

So for a long-term treatment, Ozempic is much safer than Mounjaro, despite Mounjaro being more effective.

Results: Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Which one has fewer side effects?

Winner: Ozempic

Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Dosage and Administration

Mounjaro should be given under the skin (via injection pen) once a week at a dose of 2.5 mg. After 4 weeks, the dose should be increased to 5 mg once every week. Initially, it’s not meant to control blood sugar because a 2.5 mg dose is only for starting the treatment. Your doctor may increase your dose to a max of 15 mg under the skin once a week if you need better control over your blood sugar.

Ozempic should also be given under the skin once a week at a starting dose of 0.25 mg. The starting 0.25 mg dose does not help lower blood sugar. The amount is increased to 0.5 mg once a week after 4 weeks. The upper limit for Ozempic dosage is 2mg.

Low doses help keep stomach problems like nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, or diarrhea from happening. Constipation, bloating, and stomach (abdominal) pain are some other common stomach side effects.

One must seek a doctor who will devise the best dosage according to health conditions and blood glucose concentration.

Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Dosage and Administration

Winner: N/A (because the dosage is specific for you and any general medical advice would not work the same for you as for the other)

Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Which one is less costly?

Both medicines are very costly in general, but one might be more costly than the other depending on different things.

A carton of Mounjaro 5mg with a 4-week dosage costs around $1100 monthly. The medicine comes filled in a single-use pen, which delivers 5mg by injection. The price may vary with the amount of dosage and from where you buy the medicine. Your health insurance will lower this cost according to your plans.

On the other hand, Ozempic comes with a multi-use pen (for single patients), which holds 2mg, 4mg, and 8mg of the medicine. A 4 mg pen costs around $1,000 monthly if you use 1mg per week. The price of Ozempic pens doesn’t increase very considerably for the rise in dosage, which makes it better than Mounjaro, despite having nearly the same monthly expense.

Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: Cost Comparison

Winner: Ozempic

Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: User Experience

Ozempic has been on the market for six years now, so it’s pretty unfair to put it up against Mounjaro, which was launched just last year. Semaglutide is very popular in the U.S., UK, and other European countries.

Ozempic is used by people for two main reasons: to control blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes and weight loss. When it comes to weight loss, people have experienced extremely positive results while using Ozempic. There have been thousands of stories of weight loss worldwide due to this drug. Just search Reddit for Ozempic, and you’ll be flooded with success stories of people losing weight quickly. Moreover, it is also very widely cherished among type 2 diabetics.

But this is only one side of the story. People have also experienced intense appetite when they happened to skip a dose or two. Many side effects have been discussed earlier that people experience due to Ozempic.

Mounjaro, on the other hand, has very limited popularity and carries mixed public opinion. But the benefits that Mounjaro brings show that in a year or two, it might bring down Ozempic as the most popular type 2 diabetes medication.

Result: Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: User Experience

Winner: Ozempic

Choosing the right drug

Both of these drugs are extremely efficient and advanced treatment options for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, but the ultimate choice for these drugs must be based on the advice of a healthcare professional.

Consulting a healthcare professional is crucial, as they can provide personalized treatment plans based on your specific needs. One is free to do a Mounjaro vs. Ozempic comparison on his own, but they are the ones who have expertise in managing blood sugar levels, preventing complications, and adjusting medications or lifestyle factors as necessary. Regular consultations can also play a role in early detection of issues, promote healthy choices, and ensure you receive the most up-to-date information and treatments, ultimately improving your overall health and quality of life.

Feel free to share your opinions and experiences about these medications in the comments section below. If you found this article worthwhile, don’t forget to share it with your loved ones.

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