GLP-1 medicines, side by side.
How semaglutide and tirzepatide work, how the dose steps up, what the major trials found, what side effects to expect, and how a physician-supervised program runs at AMS. Plus the next generation in trials and the peptides people pair with a weight program.
Semaglutide and tirzepatide, compared.
Both are once-weekly injections with FDA-approved brand products behind them. At AMS the physician may use the brand product or a version prepared by a licensed compounding pharmacy, and tells you which before you start.
Semaglutide
Mimics the gut hormone GLP-1 to reduce appetite and prolong fullness. Brand products: Ozempic (type 2 diabetes), Wegovy (weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction).
Dose ladder and program pricing (per 4-week cycle)
You move up only when the physician decides it is appropriate. The gradual increase is what keeps side effects manageable.
Approved uses of the brand products
- Chronic weight management with diet and exercise (Wegovy)
- Type 2 diabetes blood-sugar control (Ozempic)
- Reducing major cardiovascular events in adults with heart disease and obesity (Wegovy)
Why some people choose it
A single-hormone option with a lower starting price and the longest track record of the two.
Tirzepatide
Acts on two gut hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, to regulate appetite and fullness. Brand products: Mounjaro (type 2 diabetes), Zepbound (weight management, sleep apnea with obesity).
Dose ladder and program pricing (per 4-week cycle)
Same principle: the step-up is a medical decision, not a purchase choice.
Approved uses of the brand products
- Chronic weight management with diet and exercise (Zepbound)
- Type 2 diabetes blood-sugar control (Mounjaro)
- Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity (Zepbound)
Why some people choose it
Two-hormone action; in head-to-head research it produced greater average weight change than semaglutide, at a higher price.
What the major trials found
Average total body-weight change with the brand products plus lifestyle changes. Trial results describe groups of participants, not a prediction for any individual.
Semaglutide 2.4 mg, 68 weeks
STEP 1 trial, NEJM 2021, 1,961 adults with obesity or overweight
Tirzepatide, 72 weeks
SURMOUNT-1 trial, NEJM 2022, 2,539 adults with obesity or overweight
In STEP 1, about a third of semaglutide participants lost 20% or more; in SURMOUNT-1, over half of the 15 mg group did. Weight regain after stopping was observed in follow-up studies of both medicines.
What is coming: the next generation.
Four medicines in late-stage trials that build on the same gut-hormone idea, with an amylin analog and two- and three-hormone designs. None are available yet; they are here so you can see where the field is going.
Retatrutide
InvestigationalA triple GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptor agonist in phase 3 trials, studied for weight, glucose handling, and liver fat.
- Weight change (phase 2: roughly 17 to 24% at 48 weeks at higher doses)
- Insulin sensitivity
- Liver fat in fatty liver disease
Cagrilintide
InvestigationalA long-acting amylin analog in late-stage development, studied alone and with semaglutide (CagriSema) for appetite and weight.
- Appetite and satiety signaling
- Weight reduction in phase 2 and 3 trials
- Combination with semaglutide in ongoing trials
Survodutide
InvestigationalA dual GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist in phase 3 trials for weight management and fatty liver disease.
- Weight change in phase 2 (up to about 19% at 46 weeks)
- MASH (fatty liver) improvement in a phase 2 trial
Mazdutide
InvestigationalA dual GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist in phase 3 trials, studied for weight and type 2 diabetes.
- Weight change in phase 3 (about 14 to 15% at 48 weeks)
- Type 2 diabetes
- Liver fat
Peptides people pair with a weight program.
Options that work on body composition through different pathways than GLP-1, so they can run alongside a program. The physician confirms what fits you; the Peptide Field Guide's stack finder can combine them with sleep, recovery, and energy goals.
Tesamorelin
FDA-approved productA GHRH analog (the active ingredient in Egrifta), the most-studied peptide for visceral (deep abdominal) fat and the growth hormone axis.
- Visceral belly fat and waistline
- Body composition and lean muscle preservation
- Growth hormone and IGF-1 support
- Liver fat and metabolic markers
- Cognition in older adults (research)
Revive Blend
InvestigationalTesamorelin plus ipamorelin: the visceral-fat GHRH analog with a selective GH pulse.
- Visceral fat (tesamorelin trials)
- Growth hormone pulse (ipamorelin studies)
AOD-9604
InvestigationalA modified fragment of the growth hormone molecule (amino acids 177-191) studied for fat metabolism without growth-hormone effects on blood sugar.
- Fat metabolism in animal studies
- Obesity in phase 2 human trials
- Cartilage repair in early animal research
MOTS-c
InvestigationalA mitochondrial-derived peptide involved in cellular energy signaling; most evidence is animal and cell, with early human trials.
- Insulin sensitivity and glucose handling in animal models
- Exercise capacity in mice
- Metabolic markers in a small human phase 1 study
5-Amino-1MQ
InvestigationalA small molecule (not a peptide, but often grouped with them) that inhibits the enzyme NNMT, studied in animals for fat-cell metabolism.
- Fat mass and metabolism in mouse studies
- NNMT enzyme activity in cell studies
How the program runs at AMS
In-person consultation
Weight, vitals, history, and goals. The physician decides whether a GLP-1 program is appropriate, which medicine, and the starting level. Labs when the physician requires them.
In-clinic start
Your first dose is given by our registered nurse with injection teaching, and you leave with your 4-week supply and written instructions.
Monthly check-ins
Weight, blood pressure, side effects, and questions reviewed in person every 4 weeks. Occasional lab work to track blood sugar, kidney function, and metabolic markers.
Adjust and maintain
The physician moves you up, holds, or moves you down based on how you respond. Stopping and maintenance are planned, not left to a calendar.
Side effects and safety
Common, usually early
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation
- Reduced appetite, stomach discomfort, burping
- Tiredness, headache
- Mild redness at the injection site
Call us the same day
- Vomiting that keeps you from drinking fluids
- Severe or lasting stomach pain (possible pancreatitis)
- Pain in the upper right abdomen or yellowing skin (gallbladder)
- Signs of dehydration or reduced urination
- Symptoms of low blood sugar, especially with diabetes medicines
Not a fit if you have
- A personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2
- A history of pancreatitis
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or plans to become pregnant
- Type 1 diabetes without specialist input
- Severe stomach-emptying problems (gastroparesis)
Tell the anesthesia team before any procedure; GLP-1 medicines slow stomach emptying.
Considering a program?
It starts with an in-person evaluation at our Sarasota or Englewood clinic. Clear per-cycle pricing, in-person check-ins, and honest expectations.
Educational content. This guide describes research and common practice; it is not medical advice or a guarantee of results. AMS Wellness & IV does not prescribe peptides that are not FDA-approved; those entries are here for education only. Our physician and nursing team review your medical history and goals with you in person, in Sarasota or Englewood, so you can make an informed decision about what fits you. Regulatory status varies by product and is shown on each entry. Medicines marked investigational are in clinical trials and not available. Pricing is subject to change and confirmed at your visit.
Medical Director and Supervising Physician: Quratulain Hayat, DO, Family Medicine, Florida License OS15796.