How does tirzepatide compare to semaglutide for weight loss?

Head-to-head clinical trials (SURMOUNT-5) show tirzepatide produces significantly greater weight loss than semaglutide, with participants losing 20.2% of body weight versus 13.7% at 72 weeks—a difference of approximately 6.5 percentage points. This advantage stems from tirzepatide being a dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, while semaglutide targets only GLP-1 receptors. Meta-analyses confirm tirzepatide consistently outperforms semaglutide by 4-7 percentage points in weight reduction, though both medications demonstrate strong efficacy with similar gastrointestinal side effect profiles.