Mounjaro Over the Counter Alternative - Weight Loss Medication Like Mounjaro and Tirzepatide

Mounjaro is a branded version of the drug Tirzepatide and used to improve and correct blood sugar (glucose) in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is also used as a weight management medication to good effect. Mounjaro is an injectable prescription medicine and so could be prohibitive for some. For this reason we have listed some natural non-prescription alternatives to Mounjaro Tirzepatide over the counter.

Natural Alternatives to Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) for Weight Loss

Although Mounjaro is clinically proven to be effective for weight loss it is not suitable for everyone. Injectable prescription medicine is not available to all - natural alternatives can provide ex`cellent weight loss results.

PhenQ - Fat burner, fat blocker, appetite suppressants

Zotrim - Herbal hunger reducer to control food cravings

Both PhenQ and Zotrim are available directly from the manufacturers without prescription. There is a long money back guarantee on each. Both brands have clinically proven natural ingredients.

Mounjaro is one of the latest FDA-approved prescription medicines for controlling the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. It's a branded version of the drug Tirzepatide.

As with similar medications, such as Ozempic and Wegovy (Semaglutide), Mounjaro is taken once each week via a self-administered injection.

However, although Ozempic is distributed in a multi-shot dispenser pen, Mounjaro is not. It's supplied in single-dose pens instead.

Although Mounjaro is not intended to be used for weight management, diabetics who use it often discover the medication causes them to lose weight.

A limited amount of research also supports using Mounjaro for weight loss. So, perhaps not surprisingly, some doctors are happy to prescribe Mounjaro as an off-label treatment for obesity.

It's early days yet, but it's possible the FDA may approve Mounjaro for weight loss. It has already given Tirzepatide a fast track onto its list of drugs to review as potential treatments for people who are overweight or obese.

However, as with most Pharmaceutical weight loss and diabetes medicines, Mounjaro has many known side effects. It also has the potential to cause serious health risks including pancreatitis and thyroid cancer. That's a flip side many overweight people may not be willing to accept.

In this article, we are going to discuss the pros and cons of using Mounjaro. We are also going to provide information about a couple of natural excellent over-the-counter alternatives you may want to consider using instead.

PhenQ - Natural Mounjaro Alternative

PhenQ

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PhenQ is a popular natural supplement that has already helped more than 190,000 to attain safe weight loss.

Zotrim - Herbal Hunger Reducer

Zotrim

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Zotrim is an herbal diet pill with a long-standing reputation that has outperformed prescription drugs in clinical trials.

Both of these brands are considered to be among the best over the counter diet pills on the market.

If you want a safe and powerful Mounjaro alternative, put these natural weight loss supplements at the top of your list.

What Is Mounjaro?

Mounjaro is the brand name for Tirzepatide. It's manufactured and distributed by Eli Lilly and Company.

Eli Lilly is an American pharmaceutical company that's based in Indiana and has regional offices in 18 countries. It's possibly best known for developing the anti-depressant medication Prozac (fluoxetine). In 2023 a new weight loss drug called Retatrutide should gain FDA approval that is supposedly setting the bar even higher as far as weight loss results are concerned

Mounjaro is the first ever dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 receptor agonist) for treating type 2 diabetes.

Although it's hard not to draw comparisons with alternative drugs such as Semaglutide, which is also a GLP-1 receptor agonist, Mounjaro is the only option (presently available) that also influences GIP.

This combination of abilities appears to be very effective for controlling blood sugar and insulin.

GIP may also help reduce food intake, while also increasing energy expenditure. When energy expenditure increases, the body burns extra calories.

GLP-1 receptor agonists delay gastric emptying. This causes food to remain in the stomach for longer, causing increased satiety and appetite suppression. [1]

It's highly likely that combining GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonists will result in a more significant influence on metabolic activity and weight loss.

Mounjaro Weight Loss?

A big part of the present interest in using Mounjaro for weight loss is likely to be due to all the media coverage it gets. Lots of people need to lose weight and there is always plenty of interest in anything that appears to offer an easy way out.

Media coverage often focuses on the results of a clinical trial where the participants lost 5-22.5% of their total body weight. There is generally a lesser focus on the dangers the medication can present.

However, many medications that are already FDA-approved obesity medications only support weight losses of 5-10%.

Once you know that, it's easier to understand the excitement. However, when you are also familiar with the dangers Tirzepatide can present, it's also easy to understand why so many people lose interest in Mounjaro and seek out safer OTC alternatives to use instead.

Eli Lilly released the preliminary results from its SURMOUNT-1 clinical trial in April 2022.

Data from the study shows overweight or obese participants who had at least one additional comorbidity (but not diabetes) lost up to 52 lbs during the 72-week duration of the Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) clinical trial.

Higher doses appeared to result in greater weight loss. The participants who attained 22.5% body weight reductions were using Tirzepatide in doses of 15 mg per week.

Although the results are promising, it's important to be aware the researchers conducting the study were employed by or had other ties with Eli Lilly. That makes it difficult to rule out any bias.

The most common side effect was mild to moderate gastrointestinal issues. However, the researchers had to stop giving Tirzepatide to a small but statistically significant percentage of participants due to the severity of the adverse events they were experiencing. [2]

If serious allergic reaction occurs seek medical advice promptly from your healthcare provider.

How Good Is Mounjaro for Weight Loss?

Like alternative GLP-1 medications, such as Semaglutide, Mounjaro may make it easier to eat less food and avoid hunger. That's a big deal because many people find it impossible to control their hunger, eat more than they require, and so gain weight instead of losing it.

However, using GLP-1 medications is only one of many ways to control hunger and many of the alternative options are much safer to use than Mounjaro.

There are concerns that GLP-1 receptor agonists may be bad for the pancreas and thyroid and might increase the risk of cancers. [3]

Nevertheless, by also acting on GIP receptors, Mounjaro may offer value over and above that provided by standard GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Semaglutide.

After eating, when blood sugar rises, GIP encourages the pancreas to release insulin.

When blood sugar levels drop, GIP instructs the pancreas to release glucagon instead.

Insulin reduces blood sugar. Glucagon increases it. Working together, these two important pancreas hormones regulate blood sugar levels.

Controlling these processes can help prevent the blood sugar crashes that cause sugar cravings. This may help Mounjaro support weight loss more efficiently than GLP-1 medications alone can do.

Some research suggests GIP also increases energy expenditure. If it can do this, Mounjaro should give people's weight loss results an additional boost. [4]

However, regardless of whether people are using Mounjaro, an over-the-counter alternative, or a different medication, weight loss results will not be forthcoming without adequate lifestyle changes.

Mounjaro Dosage

Mounjaro comes in a single-dose pen that's pre-loaded with the correct dose of Tirzepatide.

There are six options available:

2.5 mg/0.5 mL single-dose pen
5 mg/0.5 mL single-dose pen
7.5 mg/0.5 mL single-dose pen
10 mg/0.5 mL single-dose pen
12.5 mg/0.5 mL single-dose pen

15 mg/0.5 mL single-dose pen

The prescribing doctor will generally begin with the 2.5 mg pen and then increase the dose by 2.5 mg every month.

So for the first four weeks of treatment, patients inject 2.5 mg of Tirzepatide each week. Then for the next four weeks, the dose will likely be 5 mg of Tirzepatide per week.

Presuming there are no undesirable issues, such as allergic reactions, the monthly increases normally continue until the maximum dose of 15 mg per week is reached.

However, some users may respond well to lower doses of Mounjaro, in which case it will be unnecessary to move up to higher-dose pens.

How to Use the Mounjaro Pen

Tirzepatide is injected into the tissue just under the skin. It's important never to inject the drug into muscles or veins.

The most common injection points are the belly, thighs, and the back of the upper arms. However, when people choose to inject Tirzepatide into the back of the upper arms, they will need to get someone else to deliver the shot.

One good thing about Mounjaro is that people who use it never see the needle. It's always hidden inside the pen.

Before using the pen, it's necessary to remove the protective cap from the base.

After the cap is removed, Mounjaro users need to lay the base of the pen against an area of skin in their chosen injection site. It's then necessary to twist the top section of the pen to unlock it.

The final step is to press the button on the other end of the pen and hold it for up to 10 seconds. While it's applied, the pen makes two clicking noises. The first one indicates the injection has started. The second one lets users know the drug delivery is complete.

Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) Side Effects and Dangers

As with any other drug, some people using Mounjaro experience side effects, while others do not.

Common side effects may include:

Nausea
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Indigestion
Stomach pain

Constipation
Low blood sugar
Decreased appetite

The most common side effects in the Tirzepatide study that gets so much attention were nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. [2]

The official Mounjaro website has a warning that makes it clear the medication may cause tumors in the thyroid gland⸺including thyroid cancer. People who are thinking of using Mounjaro for weight loss need to ask themselves if this is a gamble they are willing to take.

Due to the dangers Tirzepatide can present, Eli Lilly warns Mounjaro users to monitor for lumps and other symptoms that may indicate the presence of growths or cancer, such as hoarse voice, swollen neck, difficulty swallowing, or shortness of breath.

If symptoms become apparent, it's important to seek medical advice at once.

Mounjaro also has the potential to cause pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). The condition can cause severe stomach pain and/or pain in the abdomen and/or the back.

The medication may cause gallbladder problems as well and there is even a risk of kidney failure.

If you have read newspaper or magazine articles about Mounjaro, it's likely that few if any of them will have mentioned any of these potentially life-threatening issues.

Mounjaro Over the Counter Alternatives

The value Mounjaro has as a weight loss aid is mostly due to its ability to control hunger. It may also increase metabolism and calorie expenditure but evidence supporting this is pretty thin on the ground.

Many natural ingredients suppress appetite too. There are also plenty of good natural fat burners. All the top-rated diet pills, such as PhenQ and Zotrim use natural options. They do not contain chemicals or drugs. Nor do they present the risk of dangerous side effects. PhenQ and Zotrim are easily two of the best OTC diet pills to use as alternatives to Mounjaro.

When you visit the PhenQ website, you won't find any warnings about nasty side effects or organ damage, but you will find plenty of excellent customer reviews.

The same is true for Zotrim and both options have lengthy money-back guarantees.

Mounjaro Summary

Some people want to lose weight to become healthier and feel better. Others hope to get thinner and look better. There are also plenty of dieters who are seeking the full shebang but none of them are likely to relish the idea of side effects that may damage their health or make them feel ill.

Diabetes is a dangerous condition that requires correct management. In the case of type 2 diabetics, the potential risks of using Mounjaro may be justified.

However, although obesity presents many dangers too there are plenty of ways to lose weight without risking your health.

Modifying your diet is one of the best and most natural ways to lose weight. Increasing activity levels can be beneficial too and will also help improve overall good health.

Over-the-counter diet pills like PhenQ and Zotrim can further speed up weight loss and also make losing weight easier by removing the battle with hunger.

These premium natural weight loss options may not get the same level of media exposure as Mounjaro but they are excellent alternatives that are infinitely safer to use.

Mounjaro FAQs

Can you get Mounjaro without diabetes?

Although Mounjaro is only FDA-approved for diabetes, some doctors prescribe it off-label for weight loss.

What time of day do you take Mounjaro?

The timing of doses is not important. You can take Mounjaro at any time of the day. However, timing the dose to correspond with a light meal may reduce the risk of nausea and similar stomach-related side effects.

Does medical insurance cover Mounjaro?

No. It's a new medication so medical insurance does not cover it. However, the manufacturer offers a savings card that can provide significant savings.

Does the Mounjaro injection hurt?

As with any injection, there is always the possibility of pain. However, in this case, at least it's not necessary to watch any needles entering the flesh.

Research Sources

1. Therapy in the Early Stage: Incretins: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21525466/

2. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038

3. Do GLP-1–Based Therapies Increase Cancer Risk?: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3920789/

4. The Role of GIP Receptor in the CNS for the Pathogenesis of Obesity: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8576424/

Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.