Liraglutide vs Tirzepatide
Liraglutide: GLP-1 receptor agonist (daily). Tirzepatide: Dual GIP / GLP-1 receptor agonist. Per milligram, Tirzepatide is cheaper right now ($1.25 vs $0.230 at the cheapest tested vendor). Prices per mg compare cost, not effect: the amounts used in studies differ between compounds.
Liraglutide
An earlier, once-daily GLP-1 analog. Lowers blood sugar and appetite; generics are now available.
- What it is
- GLP-1 receptor agonist (daily)
- Category
- GLP-1 & metabolic
- Status
- FDA-approved as Victoza (type 2 diabetes) and Saxenda (weight management).
- Cheapest
- $1.25 per mg (Qingdao Sigma Chemical QSC)
- Median price
- $3.60 per mg
- Vendors
- 4 independently tested, 1 with a lab report
- Research
- Grade A: Strong human evidence (8 papers)
- Studied as
- an approved drug
- Reported side effects
- Gastrointestinal events (nausea, diarrhea, constipation); Loss of appetite; Discontinuation due to adverse events; Serious adverse events (similar to or slightly above placebo)
Tirzepatide
Activates both the GIP and GLP-1 incretin receptors, lowering blood sugar and appetite. In trials it produced more weight loss on average than GLP-1-only drugs.
- What it is
- Dual GIP / GLP-1 receptor agonist
- Category
- GLP-1 & metabolic
- Status
- FDA-approved as Mounjaro (type 2 diabetes) and Zepbound (weight management, obstructive sleep apnea).
- Cheapest
- $0.230 per mg (Andy Peps Studio)
- Median price
- $1.68 per mg
- Vendors
- 92 independently tested, 45 with a lab report
- Research
- Grade A: Strong human evidence (8 papers)
- Studied as
- an approved drug
- Reported side effects
- Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and other GI events (mostly mild-moderate, during dose escalation); Discontinuation due to adverse events; Serious adverse events; Hypoglycemia (in type 2 diabetes)
Questions people ask
What is the difference between Liraglutide and Tirzepatide?
Liraglutide: GLP-1 receptor agonist (daily). Tirzepatide: Dual GIP / GLP-1 receptor agonist. Per milligram, Tirzepatide is cheaper right now ($1.25 vs $0.230 at the cheapest tested vendor). Prices per mg compare cost, not effect: the amounts used in studies differ between compounds.
Which is cheaper, Liraglutide or Tirzepatide?
Tirzepatide is cheaper per mg: $1.25 for Liraglutide vs $0.230 for Tirzepatide at the cheapest independently tested vendor.