Is Mounjaro better than Ozempic for weight loss?

In the SURMOUNT-5 head-to-head trial, tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound) produced more weight loss on average than semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy). Semaglutide has the strongest cardiovascular outcomes data through the SELECT trial. The right call depends on your goals, your insurance, and your prescriber.

Who should not take a GLP-1?

GLP-1 drug labels list hard cautions for personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, MEN-2 syndrome, pancreatitis, pregnancy or planning to be pregnant, and unmanaged insulin coordination. Anyone in those groups should talk to a prescriber before considering a GLP-1.

Tools · Quiz

Should I get on a GLP-1?

Q: Should I get on a GLP-1?

It depends on your BMI, your goal, your medical history, your insurance situation, and your tolerance for the regulatory landscape. The Protocol One quiz walks you through 8 questions and surfaces a personalized result. Always with a doctor. None of this replaces a real prescriber.

Eight questions. About your goals, your numbers, your history, and your risk tolerance. We'll surface the most likely fit at the end. None of it replaces a real prescriber.

Want the broader peptide picture, not just GLP-1? Take the 11-question master quiz instead.

Quiz

Question 1 of 8

What's your primary goal?

Pick the one closest to why you're here. There's no wrong answer.

What's your weight and height?

We'll calculate BMI (body mass index, a rough weight-to-height ratio) right here in your browser. Nothing leaves the page.

Weight (lbs)

Height (ft / in)

FDA labels start at BMI 30, or BMI 27 with a comorbidity (a second condition like diabetes).

How old are you?

Risk and benefit shift as you age. The cardiovascular calculation matters more after 55.

Age (years)

Sex assigned at birth?

Matters for FDA labels. Pregnancy contraindications and some PCOS-related logic depend on this answer.

Have you tried diet and exercise for at least 6 months?

Sustainable, structured effort. Not a New Year's resolution that died in February.

Any of these in your history?

Pick all that apply. These are the items GLP-1 drug labels flag. If none apply, pick the last one.

What's your insurance situation?

Branded GLP-1s without coverage run roughly $1,000 a month. Coverage changes the math.

Risk tolerance for the regulatory landscape?

The class is split between FDA-approved branded drugs, compounded versions in a legal gray zone, and overseas research-grade material.

How this quiz works

This is editorial reference, not medical advice. It runs entirely in your browser. Your answers never leave the page. We don't save your weight, age, or medical history anywhere.

The scoring uses public information from FDA drug labels (Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda), the SURMOUNT and STEP and SELECT trial publications, and standard prescriber screening criteria. It is a starting point for a real conversation with a real doctor. It is not a replacement.

Always with a doctor. None of this replaces a real prescriber.

Where to go next

Read the foundations:

What are peptides - the 30-second answer
How peptides actually work - signal vs substance, half-life, selectivity
The future of GLP-1s - what's in late-stage trials right now

Compare specific drugs:

Tirzepatide vs Semaglutide - the SURMOUNT-5 head-to-head
Mounjaro vs Wegovy - branded GLP-1 comparison for benefits, cost, access
Compounded vs branded GLP-1 - the regulatory and cost framing

Take the next protocol step:

GLP-1 Starter Guide - how to start the right way
Tirzepatide switcher - moving from semaglutide to tirzepatide

Last reviewed · 2026·05·08 · Editorial tool, updated as the FDA landscape moves