What Mounjaro is
Mounjaro contains tirzepatide and is made by Eli Lilly. Mounjaro has no weight-management indication. Zepbound is the tirzepatide product approved for weight loss. Prescribing Mounjaro for weight loss is off-label: a use its FDA label doesn’t cover, which a clinician may still choose.
FDA-approved for
- Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes (adults and children 10 and older)
- Lowering cardiovascular risk in adults with type 2 diabetes
Dosing
Weekly injection. Starts at 2.5 mg and rises in 2.5 mg steps at least 4 weeks apart, up to 15 mg. Your clinician sets the pace, and it is common to stay at a dose longer if side effects are hard to manage.
How well it works
In SURPASS-2, people with type 2 diabetes lost 7.6 to 11.2 kg over 40 weeks, more than with semaglutide 1 mg (5.7 kg). These are averages from clinical trials; your results may be different.
Mounjaro cost
Usually filled through insurance for type 2 diabetes. For weight loss, Zepbound is the same medicine with self-pay prices from $299 a month. For every price option, read How much does compounded tirzepatide cost per month?. For the steps, read How to get Zepbound online in 2026.
Safety: GLP-1 medications carry a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors and are not for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. Labels also warn about pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, low blood sugar with some diabetes drugs, kidney problems from dehydration and severe stomach problems. Talk to a licensed clinician about your history.
Legal status: Prescription only; FDA-approved, prescribed off-label here.