TIRZEPATIDE
Sold as: Mounjaro, Zepbound (Eli Lilly)
A lab-made peptide that switches on two gut-hormone receptors, GIP and GLP-1. Approved for diabetes, weight loss and sleep apnea.
What it's made of
Y [Aib] E G T F T S D Y S I [Aib] L D K I A Q K* A F V Q W L I A G G P S S G A P P P S. Two lab-made blocks (Aib), a capped end, and a fatty chain on block 20 that makes it last about a week.
Load it in the Peptide builder →Where it comes from
Built on the sequence of GIP, another gut hormone, with parts that also switch on the GLP-1 receptor. Developed by Eli Lilly. First approved in the US in 2022.
What it's studied for
- ● Proven in humans
Weight loss: in the SURMOUNT-1 trial (2,539 adults, 72 weeks), weight fell 15% to 20.9% depending on the strength tested, versus 3.1% on placebo.
- ● Proven in humans
Approved in the US for type 2 diabetes (2022), weight management (2023) and obstructive sleep apnea with obesity (2024).
- ◐ Reported
Head to head: in SURMOUNT-5 (751 adults, 72 weeks), weight fell 20.2% on tirzepatide versus 13.7% on semaglutide. People knew which drug they got, and Lilly funded the trial.
Studied for ≠ proven to work. Check the stamp.
What we don't know
- ?
Stomach side effects (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting) are the most common problem.
- ?
Same thyroid tumor warning as semaglutide: seen in rats, human risk unknown.
- ?
Weight tends to come back after stopping. In SURMOUNT-4, people switched to placebo regained about 14% of body weight over the next year.
Status
- Approved in the US and the EU.
- Vietnam: not registered under any name (Drug Administration of Vietnam, July 2026).
- Sport: not banned. On the World Anti-Doping Agency monitoring program.