How Much Weight Can You Lose on Mounjaro?
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Mounjaro is a weight loss injection that contains the active ingredient tirzepatide. It is one of the most effective weight loss treatments with studies showing it can help you lose up to 22.5% of your body weight over 72 weeks. .
In this guide, weâll break down the potential weight loss you might experience with Mounjaro week by week, what to expect while taking it including the potential side effects, and how you can maximise your results for a successful weight loss journey.
How to save with coupons, alternatives, and more
The average retail price of Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is between $1,000 and $1,200 per month or more, and this can total more than $12,000 per year if you have to pay for the medication out of pocket, which is $100 per year.
Depending on your insurance plan details and requirements, your insurance may cover Mounjaro if you take it to treat type 2 diabetes. If you want to take tirzepatide for weight loss, your insurance may cover Zepbound, as it is FDA-approved for chronic weight management.
There are ways to save money on medications, including using a Mounjaro savings card or GoodRx coupons.
How much weight can I lose on Mounjaro?
How much weight you can lose on Mounjaro will depend on several factors including your diet, exercise and dosage.
Here, weâll explore how much weight you could lose on average and what to expect across the first 13 weeks of treatment.
Weeks 1 - 2 (Starting Dose)
During the first 2 weeks of Mounjaro treatment, youâll begin on the lowest starting dose of 2.5mg per week to help your body get used to the medication. Before you begin, youâll need to pick a day and time thatâs convenient for you to administer your injections. Itâs best to pick a time that you know youâll be available week on week.
In these 2 weeks, you will consider the necessary lifestyle changes needed alongside your treatment with Mounjaro for a successful weight loss journey. provide you with support materials, such as a weight loss tracker and food diary as part of the weight loss programme from Superdrug Online Doctor. These tools can help you monitor and track your treatment goals and outcomes.
Weeks 3 - 4
By weeks 3 and 4, Mounjaro should be fully active in your system, and youâll likely start noticing its effects, particularly feeling fuller for longer periods between meals.
After 4 weeks of treatment, study shows that the average weight loss is around 4%, although this can vary from person to person.
Although youâll still be on the low starting 2.5mg dose, you should continue to focus on eating balanced meals that contain lean proteins, fibre and healthy fats to support your weight loss targets.
Weeks 5 - 8
At this stage your Mounjaro dose is likely to be increased to 5mg per week. So, you may experience some of the side effects returning or increasing as your dose titrates (gradually increases) up. These should settle down again once your body gets used to the increased medication.
In most cases you can manage mild side effects at home with rest, drinking plenty of fluids, and taking over-the-counter painkillers, if needed. However, if you are concerned or finding any of the Mounjaro side effects difficult to manage, contact your doctor for advice.
After 8 weeks of Mounajro, the average weight loss is around 6%.
Weeks 9 - 12
After 8 weeks, if you have tolerated your current Mounjaro dose well, it may be increased to 7.5mg per week.
During these weeks, you are likely to start seeing some of the effects of weight loss. After 12 weeks of treatment, you might expect to lose up to 8% of your body weight.
Week 13 and beyond
From week 13 onwards, the weight loss results you can achieve with Mounjaro should become more consistent. Over time, you could lose up to 22.5% of your body weight, depending on how long you use the weight loss injection for and the maintenance dose you choose.
The maintenance dose for Mounjaro is 15mg per week, but you may choose to use a lower dose if you find it difficult to tolerate the side effects associated with a high dose, or if you think a lower dose is more effective for you.
What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is one of the newest diabetes drugs that can also help you lose weight after being injected. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Mounjaro a year ago.
How does Mounjaro work?
âThis is a completely new class of drug,â Low Wang said. âMounjaro is not a single receptor agonist like the drug semaglutide in Ozempic and Wegovy, but rather it activates two receptors at the same time. For this reason, it is called a âdual agonist.ââ
This dual agonist approach appeared to cause people who took Mounjaro injections to lose more weight than those who took single agonist drugs.
These receptors stimulate hormones that control blood sugar levels and reduce appetite, triggering weight loss.
These receptors are called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).
Wegovy and Ozempic activate the GLP-1 receptor, while Mounjaro activates both receptors: GLP-1 and GIP.
Did study participants lose more weight using Mounjaro than using Ozempic or Wegovy?
Yes. Using the maximum recommended dose of Mounjaro, patients lost an average of 12 pounds more weight than those using semaglutide, according to FDA regulators.
How do patients take Mounjaro?
Like Ozempic and Wegovy, Mounjaro is an injectable medication that patients need to take once a week.
FAQs
How soon does Mounjaro start to work?
Mounjaro starts working after your first dose, but weight loss may take weeks or even months to show up. Everyone is different, and you may need to increase your dose to fully experience improvements in appetite.
How much weight do you lose per week on average with Mounjaro?
Some studies show that you can lose about 1% of your body weight per week during the first 4 weeks of Mounjaro, but this varies from person to person.
Further studies show that, on average, Mounjaro can help you lose up to 22.5% of your initial weight over 72 weeks at the highest maintenance dose of 15 mg per week.
Will you lose more weight with a higher dose of Mounjaro?
Yes, but not everyone can tolerate a higher dose of Mounjaro or find that a lower dose works for them.
In one study, using these maintenance doses, the following average weight losses were achieved over 72 weeks:
16% at 5 mg per week
21.4% at 10 mg per week
22.5% at 15 mg per week
Is Mounjaro safe to take long term?
Yes, Mounjaro can be taken long term. A 72-week study investigated its effects and found it to be safe and effective for weight loss even at the highest dose.