Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have made their presence in the prescription medical scene and have become all the raves for people looking to lose weight. The results have been very enticing to the person who is fed up with fad diets not working for them. So what should you know about these three drugs? I got you here with a full breakdown of the facts:
Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro work in the same manner but are either different medications or dosages. The three work as an agonist for GLP1. GLP1 is a hormone the body releases in response to food which tells the body to secrete insulin and reduce appetite based on the incoming food. A GLP1 agonist mimics this hormone by further increasing the release of insulin and the feeling of satiation. These were created to target specific receptors in the pancreas, brain, and stomach. They work to control insulin sensitivity, slowing down stomach emptying, and blocking food cravings in the brain.
The weight loss that comes as a result of the three has been identified as around 70% adipose tissue (body fat) and 30% muscle tissue.
The most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. There is also a risk of thyroid cancer if you or your family has a history of it or are carriers for the specific gene for thyroid cancer.
Ozempic
This drug, scientifically named Semaglutide, came onto the market in December of 2017 and was designed for people with Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
The science:
Ozempic is most specific to individuals with Type 2 diabetes as these individuals have a harder time with fat loss due to the disease and insulin production. Now with this drug, one of the focuses is improving an individual’s A1C which is a measurement of blood sugar.
According to research, people saw on average a loss of 7.5% of their body weight, as well as 73% of people, saw improvements in their A1C lowering below 7%.
Wegovy
Wegovy, also Semaglutide, was introduced to the market in June of 2021. The difference between Ozempic and Wegovy is in the purpose and dosage. This drug was specifically made for weight loss. The dosage prescribed is nearly two times the dosage of Ozempic.
The person that would take Wegovy versus Ozempic is someone who has been diagnosed obese but has no other health factors such as diabetes.
Throughout a 68-week trial, individuals saw a 15% body weight decrease and on average lost 35 pounds.
Mounjaro
Mounjaro is the newest drug on the market and made its introduction in May of 2022. It is also known as Tirzepatide and works on the GLP1 receptor as well as the GIP receptor. Acting on the GIP receptor, this medication makes the body release more insulin when the stomach is full. Mounjaro is also used to treat those with type 2 diabetes and obesity. This medication counteracts the increase in blood sugar by increasing insulin production only when the blood sugar is rising.
This medication has been shown to improve A1C levels more than Ozempic.
People on this medication lost on average 15.7% of their body weight over 68 weeks. The side effects for Mounjaro were more intense among the three.
The realities
There is no long-term use of these drugs. With that, there is also no certainty in possible long-term risks or side effects that may come from the use of these as they are all still fairly new and do not have enough data.
Taking these medications may sound appealing to the consumer who is wanting a simpler solution to weight loss. I have no opinion for or against someone wanting to take one of these. I do believe that these are temporary solutions and can work well for someone who is also making permanent lifestyle changes to improve their health. I also believe that, unless there is some other health factor like type 2 diabetes, taking these medications is not necessary. Weight loss can be achieved without spending an arm and leg.
While on the medication, it can be beneficial not only for the weight aspect but other health factors to make changes to your exercise and nutrition to support muscle retention and improve diet to support sustaining the weight when coming off the medication.
A 75% weight gain back has been seen in those coming off the medication.
I believe the reason for this is most individuals take the medication for a short duration to achieve the weight they want to see and return to their previous diet habits.
So what can be done while taking the medication?
Continue to or add strength training into your routine. Though the target for this drug is adipose tissue, there is also potential for muscle loss with overall weight loss.
To also ensure the protection of muscular tissue as well as improve other health factors, a high-protein diet is advised. One should aim for 1-1.2 g of protein per pound of lean body mass while taking this medication and reducing the amount of high-calorie, high sugar, and low-satiety foods like sodas, fast food, fried foods etc., the foods typically labelled “bad”.
Making these lifestyle changes while paired with medication can help one ensure that their weight loss and health is sustained coming off the medication.
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