Mounjaro vs Ozempic: how to choose the medicine that suits you

What is the difference between Mounjaro and Ozempic?

The most important difference lies in the active substance. Ozempic contains semaglutide, a substance that mimics the gut hormone GLP-1. Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, which in addition to GLP-1 also mimics the hormone GIP. Both hormones play a role in your appetite and your blood sugar.

In practice, both medicines do the same kind of work: they curb your appetite, slow gastric emptying and help you feel full for longer. You inject both once a week with an injection pen. The big difference is that Mounjaro works through two routes at once, which on average makes it more powerful for weight loss. More about the Mounjaro golden dose.

There is also a formal difference. Mounjaro has been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for both type 2 diabetes and weight management, in combination with a healthy diet and exercise. According to the CBG's medicines information database (the Geneesmiddeleninformatiebank of the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board), Ozempic is registered for type 2 diabetes; a doctor can prescribe it off-label for overweight under certain conditions. Both medicines are only available on prescription, and there's a good reason for that: medical weight loss belongs under a doctor's supervision.

Mounjaro vs. Ozempic: the comparison table

The weight loss figures come from the SURMOUNT-5 trial, which we explain below. Remember for every row: these are averages, not promises. Your result depends on your body, your lifestyle and the support you get.

Which is better for weight loss: Mounjaro or Ozempic?

Based on the research: Mounjaro gives more weight loss on average. In the SURMOUNT-5 trial, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the two medicines were compared directly for the first time in 751 adults with obesity without diabetes. After 72 weeks, participants on tirzepatide (Mounjaro) had lost an average of 20.2% of their body weight, compared with 13.7% on semaglutide (Ozempic). In kilos: an average of 22.8 kg compared with 15.0 kg.

Does this mean Mounjaro is the best choice for everyone? No. Averages say nothing about your body.

Some people respond very well to semaglutide, others tolerate tirzepatide better. Your health, any other medication and your personal goal also play a part. That's why this is not a choice you make yourself, but a medical judgement you make together with a doctor.

And one thing applies to both medicines: they are not miracle cures. Above all, the medication takes away your hunger, so that eating more healthily finally becomes sustainable. The real work, adjusting your diet and lifestyle, you still do yourself. With good support you can keep it up.

Which has more side effects: Ozempic or Mounjaro?

The side effects of Mounjaro and Ozempic are very similar. Both medicines mainly cause stomach and bowel complaints: nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain and sometimes vomiting, as apotheek.nl (the Dutch pharmacists' patient information website) also describes. These complaints mainly occur in the first weeks and while the dose is being built up, and then decrease in most people.

Serious side effects, such as inflammation of the pancreas or gallstones, are rare but exist with both medicines. That is exactly why you always start on a low dose that is increased step by step, and why medical monitoring during the programme is not a luxury but a necessity.

At Qlinic you are followed throughout your programme by your own BIG-registered doctor (the BIG register is the Dutch register of healthcare professionals), with a follow-up every 4 weeks. Troubled by side effects in between? Then you discuss this with your doctor, so you're not left with unanswered questions.

Do you recognise yourself in "tried everything, nothing works"? Our BIG-registered doctor personally assesses whether medical weight loss suits your situation. See if it's right for you →

Switching from Ozempic to Mounjaro

Switching from Ozempic to Mounjaro is possible, but only through your doctor. The most common reasons to switch: your weight loss stalls on Ozempic, you hope for more effect from Mounjaro's dual hormone action, you're troubled by side effects, or your current medicine is in short supply.

Simply switching on your own is not a good idea. The medicines have different dosing schedules, and your doctor decides at which dose you can safely start and how it is built up. The doctor also assesses whether a switch is medically the best solution; sometimes a dose adjustment or extra attention to nutrition is more effective.

Because at Qlinic we work with your own doctor who speaks to you every 4 weeks, such a stall is spotted early. Any switch is then arranged carefully within your ongoing programme, always based on the doctor's judgement.

How long can you use Mounjaro?

There is no fixed maximum duration of use in the Mounjaro patient information leaflet. The medicine is approved for long-term weight management, in combination with a healthier diet and more exercise. How long you use it is an individual judgement: your doctor periodically assesses whether the medicine is still working, whether you tolerate it well and whether continuing makes medical sense.

It is known, however, that the weight can come back when you stop without your lifestyle having changed. That's why the period with medication is so valuable: your hunger is in the background, so you can build new habits that last.

Good to know: at Qlinic you simply discuss pausing or stopping with your own doctor, so you don't have to make that kind of decision alone.

What do Mounjaro and Ozempic cost?

At Qlinic you pay for a complete programme, not just for medication. A programme with semaglutide (Ozempic) costs €250 per month or €699 per 3 months. A programme with tirzepatide (Mounjaro) costs €350 per month or €999 per 3 months. On top of that you pay a one-off supervision fee of €400 for the medical intake and the start of your programme.

That programme price includes everything that makes medical weight loss safe and sustainable: the consultation and intake with the doctor, your prescription, home delivery and the personal follow-up every 4 weeks by the doctor. The price difference between the two programmes comes from the difference in medication costs.

You'll find a full overview of all programmes and rates under medical weight loss costs. One final warning: never buy Mounjaro or Ozempic online without a prescription. You then run the risk of counterfeit or incorrectly stored medication, without any medical monitoring. The only safe route is through a doctor. More about how to buy Mounjaro safely.

Medical weight loss supervised by a BIG-registered doctor

At Qlinic you never make the choice between Mounjaro and Ozempic alone. Our programme starts with a personal consultation and a medical intake with our own BIG-registered doctor. Then come your prescription and home delivery, after which you lose weight with a follow-up every 4 weeks by the same doctor. No changing faces, but someone who knows your file and your story. Most people notice the first effects after about 4 weeks: the feeling of hunger decreases.

We are deliberately small-scale. So far we have helped around 50 clients and we are rated 5.0 on Google, based on more than 20 reviews. Want to know more about the programmes themselves? Then read more about medical weight loss with injections or medical weight loss with injections.

Whether it turns out to be Mounjaro or Ozempic: the first step is the same. Through our eligibility check, the doctor assesses whether medical weight loss suits you from a medical point of view. That way you can be sure you're starting something that is safe and has a chance of success.

Ready to know where you stand? Fill in the no-obligation eligibility check and our doctor will personally assess whether a programme suits your situation. See if it's right for you →

Frequently asked questions about Mounjaro vs Ozempic

Which is better: Ozempic or Mounjaro?

Mounjaro gives more weight loss on average: 20.2% compared with 13.7% after 72 weeks in head-to-head research. Still, "better" is personal. Your health, how well you tolerate the medicine and your goal determine the choice, and you make that choice together with a doctor.

Which has worse side effects: Ozempic or Mounjaro?

The side effects are largely the same: mainly nausea, diarrhoea and constipation, especially while the dose is being built up. How well you tolerate a medicine differs from person to person. With medical supervision and a gradual dosing schedule, complaints usually stay mild and temporary.

Why switch from Ozempic to Mounjaro?

The most common reasons are stalling weight loss, the wish for more effect through the dual action on GLP-1 and GIP, troublesome side effects or availability problems. A switch always goes through your doctor, who builds up the dose again.

How long can you use Mounjaro?

There is no fixed maximum duration of use. Mounjaro is approved for long-term weight management, as long as the medicine works, you tolerate it well and your doctor considers its use medically worthwhile. Your doctor assesses this periodically; pausing or stopping always happens in consultation.

Can you buy Mounjaro or Ozempic without a prescription?

No. Both medicines are only available on prescription. Providers that sell them without a prescription are illegal, and you risk counterfeit medication without medical monitoring. The safe route: a doctor assesses whether treatment is suitable for you and writes the prescription.

What is the price difference between Ozempic and Mounjaro?

At Qlinic, a programme with semaglutide (Ozempic) costs €250 per month and a programme with tirzepatide (Mounjaro) €350 per month, each including prescription, home delivery and supervision by a doctor, plus a one-off supervision fee of €400. The difference of €100 per month is due to the higher medication costs of Mounjaro.