Eating

Retatrutide vs Tirzepatide: Trials, Safety, Status and the Head-to-Head Still Running

By Jeff Zorn, founder of Zornava. Former college basketball player, degree in exercise science and nutrition, two years on GLP-1 medications. My experience, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber or a registered dietitian about your own situation.

Published · Last reviewed

Short answer: Both are once-weekly injections from Eli Lilly. Tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro) acts on two hormone receptors, GIP and GLP-1, and is FDA-approved; retatrutide adds a third, the glucagon receptor, and is not approved anywhere as of November 13, 2026.[1][2][3] In separate trials, body weight fell by an average of 25.0% over 80 weeks on the highest retatrutide dose tested and 20.9% over 72 weeks on tirzepatide 15 mg.[2][4] No head-to-head result exists yet: the trial that compares them directly, TRIUMPH-5, is still running.[5]

New to eating less? Start with what to eat when you're eating less, the guide the rest of Lighter Days builds on.

This page sets the two side by side as of November 13, 2026: how they differ, what each one's trials found, how their adverse events compare, what each costs and where each can legally be had. Each has its own page for depth: tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro) and GLP-3 (retatrutide). This page gives no retatrutide dosing: there is no approved dose to describe.

General information, not medical advice. Nothing here tells you whether to start, stop or change a medication. That is a decision for you and your prescriber.

Retatrutide vs tirzepatide at a glance

Retatrutide Tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro)
Maker Eli Lilly[6] Eli Lilly[1]
Receptors it activates Three: GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon[2] Two: GIP and GLP-1[1]
US status, November 13, 2026 Investigational, not approved by any regulator. Lilly plans to submit it to the FDA in the first quarter of 2027[3] FDA-approved: Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes (May 13, 2022); Zepbound for chronic weight management (November 8, 2023) and obstructive sleep apnea with obesity (December 20, 2024)[7]
Form Once-weekly injection under the skin, in trials[2] Once-weekly injection under the skin: single-dose pen, single-dose vials or a 4-dose KwikPen[1]
Headline obesity trial (no diabetes) TRIUMPH-1, 2,339 adults: body weight −25.0% at 80 weeks on the highest dose, vs −3.9% on placebo[2] SURMOUNT-1, 2,539 adults: −20.9% at 72 weeks on 15 mg, vs −3.1% on placebo[4]
Obesity with type 2 diabetes TRIUMPH-2: −18.8% at 80 weeks on the highest dose, vs −5.1%[8] SURMOUNT-2: −14.7% at 72 weeks on 15 mg, vs −3.2%[1]
Most common adverse events Digestive, dose-related: nausea 42.4% vs 14.8% on placebo (TRIUMPH-1, highest dose, Lilly topline). Also dysesthesia, an unusual skin sensation, 12.5% vs 0.9%[6] Digestive, mostly during dose increases: nausea 28% vs 8% on Zepbound 15 mg. Dysesthesia 0.4% vs 0.1%[1]
Stopped for an adverse event 11.3% vs 4.9% (TRIUMPH-1, highest dose, topline)[6] 6.7% vs 3.4% (Zepbound 15 mg, label pool)[1]
Boxed warning No label yet[3] Thyroid C-cell tumors, seen in rats; human relevance unknown[1]
How to get it legally Only inside a Lilly clinical trial or Lilly's pre-approval expanded access program[6][9] With a prescription, from a licensed pharmacy or LillyDirect[10]
Price None. It cannot be legally sold, and Lilly has announced no price[11][3] Zepbound self-pay through LillyDirect: $299 to $449 a month by dose, with on-time refills, as of November 13, 2026[10]

Sources are cited in each cell. "Topline" means the figure comes from a Lilly press release, before a journal has checked it. Every row compares results from different trials; why that matters is the next section.

Has retatrutide been tested head-to-head against tirzepatide?

Yes, but there are no results yet. TRIUMPH-5 (NCT06662383) is a phase 3, randomized, double-blind trial of retatrutide against tirzepatide in about 800 adults with obesity. Its primary outcome is percent change in body weight at week 80; secondary outcomes include waist size, blood pressure, cholesterol, HbA1c and quality of life. It started on November 1, 2024. Its registry entry, last updated July 20, 2026, lists it as active but no longer recruiting, with an estimated primary completion in November 2026 and study completion in December 2026, and shows no posted results.[5] We found no Lilly announcement of TRIUMPH-5 results as of November 13, 2026.

We searched ClinicalTrials.gov for every registered retatrutide study. TRIUMPH-5 is the only one with a tirzepatide comparison arm. One other registered trial uses both drugs: SYNERGY-Outcomes, a liver study of about 4,500 adults with high-risk metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which tests retatrutide and tirzepatide each against its own placebo group, not against each other.[12]

Why the separate trials cannot be lined up as a contest

Placing TRIUMPH-1 beside SURMOUNT-1 is tempting, and the at-a-glance table does exactly that, but it is not a fair race:

  • Different lengths. TRIUMPH-1 ran 80 weeks; SURMOUNT-1 ran 72.[2][4]
  • Different people and different years. The trials recruited different groups at different times, with different dose steps, sites and background care.
  • Different ways of counting. Lilly's press releases often lead with an "efficacy estimand", which estimates the effect in people who kept taking the drug. In TRIUMPH-1 that figure was −28.3% on the highest dose, against −25.0% by the treatment-regimen estimand in the journal, which counts everyone randomized.[6][2] Comparing one drug's efficacy estimand with another's treatment-regimen figure overstates the gap.
  • Adverse events, too. The Zepbound label itself says adverse reaction rates from one drug's trials cannot be directly compared with rates from another drug's trials.[1]

Both drugs have each beaten semaglutide head-to-head, which tempts a chain of reasoning. In SURMOUNT-5, in adults with obesity and no diabetes, body weight fell by 20.2% on tirzepatide against 13.7% on semaglutide over 72 weeks; the trial was open-label and funded by Lilly.[13] In TRANSCEND-T2D-2, in adults with type 2 diabetes, it fell by 19.5% and 20.9% on two retatrutide doses against 9.4% on semaglutide 2 mg over 80 weeks, by Lilly's efficacy estimand, as a topline result.[14] Different populations, comparator doses, lengths and estimands mean the two cannot be chained into "retatrutide beats tirzepatide". Only TRIUMPH-5 can answer that.

How are retatrutide and tirzepatide different?

The difference is one receptor. Tirzepatide is a single molecule that activates the receptors for GIP and GLP-1; the label says it lowers calorie intake, likely by affecting appetite, and delays stomach emptying.[1] Retatrutide is a single molecule that activates the receptors for GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon, which is why it is called a triple agonist, or informally "GLP-3".[2][8] Retatrutide's development code was LY3437943.[15] Whether the third receptor adds anything for a given person, and at what cost in tolerability, is what TRIUMPH-5 is designed to show for body weight.[5]

What did each drug's own trials find?

Population Retatrutide trial Tirzepatide trial
Obesity, no diabetes Phase 2, 48 weeks: −24.2% on the highest dose vs −2.1%[15]
TRIUMPH-1, 80 weeks: −17.6%, −23.7% and −25.0% on three doses vs −3.9%[2]
SURMOUNT-1, 72 weeks: −15.0%, −19.5% and −20.9% on 5, 10 and 15 mg vs −3.1%[1][4]
Obesity and type 2 diabetes TRIUMPH-2, 80 weeks: −11.9%, −16.8% and −18.8% vs −5.1%[8] SURMOUNT-2, 72 weeks: −12.8% and −14.7% on 10 and 15 mg vs −3.2%[1]
Obstructive sleep apnea Breathing interruptions fell by 34.3 and 31.7 events an hour on two doses vs 9.9 on placebo, from an average of 58.6[16] SURMOUNT-OSA: fell by 25.3 and 29.3 events an hour vs 5.3 and 5.5 on placebo; FDA-approved for this use[17][1]
Heart outcomes Not settled: TRIUMPH-Outcomes, about 10,000 adults, estimated primary completion February 2029[18] SURPASS-CVOT, type 2 diabetes, against dulaglutide: not worse, superiority not shown; Mounjaro approved for cardiovascular risk reduction in August 2026[19][20]

Figures are average percent change in body weight unless stated. The retatrutide trial doses are listed only so the results can be read; they are not a guide to anything.

How do the adverse events compare?

The pattern is shared: the most common events with both drugs are digestive. On retatrutide they rose with the dose;[15] on Zepbound most came during dose increases and decreased over time.[1] Where they differ is in how often, and in two signals seen mainly with retatrutide.

Reported event Retatrutide, highest dose, TRIUMPH-1 (placebo) Zepbound 15 mg, label (placebo)
Nausea 42.4% (14.8%) 28% (8%)
Diarrhea 32.0% (13.5%) 23% (8%)
Vomiting 25.3% (4.8%) 13% (2%)
Constipation 26.1% (10.9%) 11% (5%)
Dysesthesia 12.5% (0.9%) 0.4% (0.1%)
Stopped for an adverse event 11.3% (4.9%) 6.7% (3.4%)

Sources: Lilly's TRIUMPH-1 topline[6] and the Zepbound label, section 6.1, pooled SURMOUNT-1 and -2.[1] Different trials, so a rough picture only.

  • Dysesthesia. A burning or sensitive feeling in the skin. It was reported by 5% to 21% on retatrutide depending on trial and dose, against about 1% on placebo, and was mostly mild to moderate.[21] On the Zepbound label it is 0.4% or less.[1]
  • Heart rate. In retatrutide's phase 2 trial, heart rate rose with the dose, peaked at 24 weeks and declined after that.[15] Zepbound raised average heart rate by 1 to 3 beats per minute, against no increase on placebo.[1]
  • Low blood pressure. Reported by 1%, 5% and 6% on three retatrutide doses in TRIUMPH-2, against under 1% on placebo,[8] and by 1.6% on Zepbound against 0.1%.[1]
  • Stopping treatment. Between 4% and 18% stopped retatrutide for an adverse event, depending on trial and dose, against 4% to 5% on placebo.[6][8][3][22] On Zepbound it was 4.8% to 6.7% by dose, against 3.4%, mostly in the first few months and mostly for digestive reasons.[1]

Tirzepatide has a full FDA label, with a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors and warnings including pancreatitis, gallbladder disease and kidney injury from fluid loss.[1] Retatrutide has none yet; what its label will say is for the FDA to decide. The trial-by-trial detail is in retatrutide side effects in the trials, by dose.

Is retatrutide stronger than tirzepatide?

On the numbers from separate trials, retatrutide's average results on its highest dose were larger. That is not proof that it is stronger for any one person, or in a direct comparison, for the reasons above. It also came with higher rates of digestive events, of dysesthesia and of stopping treatment.[6][1] TRIUMPH-5 is the trial built to answer the question for body weight.[5]

Can you switch from tirzepatide to retatrutide?

Not outside research. Retatrutide is legally available only to participants in Lilly's trials and through a pre-approval expanded access program.[6][9] That program is for single patients aged 18 or older with a BMI of 35 or more, two or more serious obesity-related complications, obesity that persists despite the highest available dose of an approved treatment, and no way to join a trial; a physician requests it.[9] Anyone interested can ask their prescriber about trials or those criteria. Approval timing is in the retatrutide explainer.

How much do retatrutide and tirzepatide cost?

Retatrutide has no price, because it cannot legally be sold, and Lilly had not announced one as of November 13, 2026.[11][3] What the eventual price might look like, and how coverage works today, is in how much will retatrutide cost.

Tirzepatide has published prices. Through LillyDirect, without coverage, Zepbound is $299 a month for 2.5 mg, $399 for 5 mg and $449 for 7.5 mg to 15 mg as a KwikPen under an offer that requires on-time refills, as of November 13, 2026.[10] Compounded tirzepatide is a different thing: compounded drugs are not FDA-approved,[23] and what that means is in compounded GLP-1s explained. A wider comparison of the approved medicines is in Zepbound vs Wegovy.

Is it safe to buy "research" retatrutide online?

No. Here is why.

  • It is illegal to sell it to you. The FDA has warned companies selling unapproved drugs containing retatrutide that are "falsely labeled 'for research purposes' or 'not for human consumption'", and "urges consumers not to purchase these products which are of unknown quality and may be harmful to their health."[11]
  • It cannot be compounded legally either. The FDA says retatrutide cannot be used in compounding under federal law.[11]
  • Nobody can tell you what is in the vial. Unapproved products sold online may be counterfeit, or contain the wrong ingredient, or too little, too much or none of the active one, the FDA says.[11] Lilly calls them "entirely unverified, unapproved" and announced six lawsuits against US sellers on August 12, 2026.[24]
  • Harm is already being reported. A 2026 case report describes a hospital admission for persistent vomiting after injections of a product said to contain retatrutide.[25] A study of 13,589 social media users describing non-approved use found fatigue, nausea, insomnia and a raised heart rate among the most often reported symptoms.[26]
  • The trial results do not transfer. Every retatrutide figure on this page comes from a manufactured drug given under medical monitoring. A powder of unknown purity is a different thing.

The FDA's own advice is to buy medicines only from state-licensed pharmacies, with a prescription.[11]

What does either one mean for eating?

Whichever medicine, the eating problem is the same: a smaller appetite and digestive symptoms, most often while the dose is being raised.[1][15] The 2025 joint advisory on nutrition with GLP-1 therapy suggests small, frequent, nutrient-dense meals, protein first, adequate fluids, and a reminder to eat when appetite is very low.[27]

Every approved and investigational medicine in this class, with where each one stands, is listed in our GLP-1 medications hub.

For transparency about why this page exists on our site: we make one product, Zornava Replenish, a lemon-lime daily hydration and nutrient powder for lighter appetite days, including for people on GLP-1 medications. It is a dietary supplement, not a medication, and it does not replace or imitate any medicine on this page. It is not on sale yet; early access opens February 9, 2027, and the early-access list is open now.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between retatrutide and tirzepatide?

Both are once-weekly injections from Eli Lilly. Tirzepatide activates two hormone receptors, GIP and GLP-1, and is FDA-approved as Zepbound and Mounjaro. Retatrutide adds a third, the glucagon receptor, and as of November 13, 2026 is investigational and not approved anywhere.

Is retatrutide better than tirzepatide?

Nobody can say yet. In separate trials, body weight fell by an average of 25.0% at 80 weeks on the highest retatrutide dose and 20.9% at 72 weeks on tirzepatide 15 mg, but separate trials are not a direct comparison. Retatrutide also had higher rates of digestive events, dysesthesia and stopping treatment.

Is there a head-to-head trial of retatrutide vs tirzepatide?

Yes: TRIUMPH-5, a phase 3, double-blind trial of about 800 adults with obesity, measuring percent change in body weight at 80 weeks. Its registry entry lists it as active, not recruiting, with estimated primary completion in November 2026. No results had been posted or announced as of November 13, 2026.

Which has more side effects, retatrutide or tirzepatide?

In separate trials, rates were higher on retatrutide's highest dose: nausea 42.4% against 28% on Zepbound 15 mg, and 11.3% against 6.7% stopped for an adverse event. Dysesthesia, a burning skin sensation, was 12.5% on retatrutide and 0.4% on Zepbound. TRIUMPH-5 will give the first direct comparison.

Can I switch from Zepbound to retatrutide?

Not outside research. Retatrutide is available only in Lilly's trials and a pre-approval expanded access program for adults with a BMI of 35 or more, serious complications, obesity that persists on the highest available approved dose, and no access to a trial. Your prescriber can tell you whether either applies.

When will retatrutide be approved?

No date is set. Lilly said on July 23, 2026 that it plans to submit retatrutide to the FDA in the first quarter of 2027. The FDA then has to evaluate it, and neither Lilly nor the FDA has given a decision date.

How much does retatrutide cost compared with tirzepatide?

Retatrutide has no price, because it is not approved and cannot be legally sold. As of November 13, 2026, Zepbound costs $299 to $449 a month through LillyDirect without coverage, depending on dose. Anyone quoting a price for retatrutide is selling an unapproved product.

Are retatrutide and tirzepatide made by the same company?

Yes. Both are Eli Lilly medicines. Tirzepatide is sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound; retatrutide, development code LY3437943, is still in Lilly's phase 3 program.

References

  1. Eli Lilly and Company. Zepbound (tirzepatide) injection, prescribing information and Medication Guide. DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine. 2026. (sections 1, 5, 6.1 (Table 1, heart rate, hypotension, dysesthesia), 12 and 14) DailyMed. ↩︎
  2. Jastreboff AM, Kaplan LM, Davies MJ, et al. Retatrutide, a Triple Hormone Receptor Agonist, for Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2026;395(18):1781–1793. PubMed. PMID: 42814954. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2604169. TRIUMPH-1. Abstract read. Funded by Eli Lilly. ↩︎
  3. Eli Lilly and Company. Lilly's triple agonist, retatrutide, successful in two additional Phase 3 obesity trials, delivering significant improvements in weight and A1C. Press release (PR Newswire, via BioSpace). 2026. (topline results; discontinuations and regulatory plans) biospace.com. Press release of 2026-07-23. Company-reported topline results; TRIUMPH-3 not yet in a journal as of 2026-11-13. ↩︎
  4. Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2022;387(3):205–216. PubMed. PMID: 35658024. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2206038. SURMOUNT-1. Abstract read. Funded by Eli Lilly. ↩︎
  5. Eli Lilly and Company. A Study of Retatrutide (LY3437943) Compared to Tirzepatide (LY3298176) in Adults Who Have Obesity (TRIUMPH-5) (NCT06662383). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2026. (registry record: design, enrollment, outcomes, dates and results status) clinicaltrials.gov. Registry record read via the ClinicalTrials.gov API: phase 3, randomized, double-blind; estimated enrollment 800; primary outcome percent change in body weight at week 80; start 2024-11-01; status Active, not recruiting; estimated primary completion 2026-11, completion 2026-12; last update posted 2026-07-20; no results posted. ↩︎
  6. Eli Lilly and Company. Press release (PR Newswire, via BioSpace). 2026. (topline results; adverse events, discontinuations and efficacy estimand) biospace.com. Press release of 2026-05-21. Company-reported topline results. ↩︎
  7. US Food and Drug Administration. Drugs@FDA: Mounjaro (NDA 215866) and Zepbound (NDA 217806), approval history. Drugs@FDA. 2026. accessdata.fda.gov. Approval dates read from the Drugs@FDA submission records via openFDA and checked against the FDA approval letters for NDA 215866 S-039 (pediatric, 2025-12-19), S-044 and S-045 (2026-08-27), and NDA 217806 S-041 (2026-08-26). ↩︎
  8. Bellido V, le Roux CW, Ekinci EI, et al. Retatrutide in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes (TRIUMPH-2): a double-blind, parallel-group, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2026;408(10563):1455–1472. PubMed. PMID: 42810372. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)01861-1. Abstract read. Funded by Eli Lilly; several authors are Lilly employees. ↩︎
  9. Eli Lilly and Company. Pre-approval Expanded Access of Retatrutide (LY3437943) (NCT07629401). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2026. clinicaltrials.gov. Registry record read via the ClinicalTrials.gov API (status Available; last updated 2026-08-03). ↩︎
  10. Eli Lilly and Company. Zepbound coverage and savings. zepbound.lilly.com. 2026. zepbound.lilly.com. Maker price page and offer terms read 2026-11-13; savings card terms end 2026-12-31. ↩︎
  11. US Food and Drug Administration. fda.gov. 2026. fda.gov. Page read (content current as of 10/01/2026). ↩︎
  12. Eli Lilly and Company. A Master Protocol of Multiple Agents in Adults With Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (SYNERGY-Outcomes) (NCT07165028). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2026. clinicaltrials.gov. Registry record read via the ClinicalTrials.gov API: master protocol, about 4,500 adults; retatrutide and tirzepatide substudies each against their own placebo arm; status Recruiting. ↩︎
  13. Aronne LJ, Horn DB, le Roux CW, et al. Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2025;393(1):26–36. PubMed. PMID: 40353578. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2416394. SURMOUNT-5, open-label, no placebo group. Abstract read. Funded by Eli Lilly. ↩︎
  14. BioPharm International. BioPharm International. 2026. biopharminternational.com. Trade-press report (2026-10-29) of Lilly’s TRANSCEND-T2D-2 topline release of 2026-10-28; figures cross-checked against PharmaShots. Company-reported results, not yet in a journal. ↩︎
  15. Jastreboff AM, Kaplan LM, Frías JP, et al. Triple-Hormone-Receptor Agonist Retatrutide for Obesity — A Phase 2 Trial. N Engl J Med. 2023;389(6):514–526. PubMed. PMID: 37366315. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2301972. Abstract read. Funded by Eli Lilly. ↩︎
  16. Grunstein RR, Somers VK, Azarbarzin A, et al. Retatrutide Once Weekly for Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. N Engl J Med. 2026. PubMed. PMID: 42904878. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2611477. Published online 2026-10-21, ahead of print. Abstract read. Funded by Eli Lilly. ↩︎
  17. Malhotra A, Grunstein RR, Fietze I, et al. Tirzepatide for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2024;391(13):1193–1205. PubMed. PMID: 38912654. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2404881. SURMOUNT-OSA. Abstract read. Funded by Eli Lilly. ↩︎
  18. Eli Lilly and Company. The Effect of Retatrutide Once Weekly on Cardiovascular Outcomes and Kidney Outcomes in Adults Living With Obesity (TRIUMPH-Outcomes) (NCT06383390). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2026. clinicaltrials.gov. Registry record read via the ClinicalTrials.gov API (estimated enrollment 10,000; estimated primary completion February 2029). ↩︎
  19. Nicholls SJ, Pavo I, Bhatt DL, et al. Cardiovascular Outcomes with Tirzepatide versus Dulaglutide in Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2025;393(24):2409–2420. PubMed. PMID: 41406444. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2505928. SURPASS-CVOT. Abstract read. Funded by Eli Lilly. ↩︎
  20. Eli Lilly and Company. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection, prescribing information. DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine. 2026. DailyMed. ↩︎
  21. Eli Lilly and Company. Was dysesthesia reported as an adverse event in the retatrutide TRIUMPH trials in patients with overweight or obesity? Lilly Medical Information (medical.lilly.com). 2026. medical.lilly.com. Manufacturer's medical-information answer, last reviewed 2026-08-18. Company-reported figures, rounded to whole percentages. ↩︎
  22. Eli Lilly and Company. Press release. 2025. finviz.com. Press release of 2025-12-11, read as reproduced on Finviz; dysesthesia and discontinuation figures cross-checked against Patient Care (2025-12-11). Company-reported topline results. ↩︎
  23. US Food and Drug Administration. Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers. fda.gov. 2025. fda.gov. Page read (content current as of 09/16/2025). ↩︎
  24. Eli Lilly and Company. Lilly calls on online platforms, payment companies and regulators to shut down the illegal retatrutide black market. Press release. 2026. finviz.com. Press release of 2026-08-12, read as reproduced on Finviz (Lilly’s investor site refuses scripted requests). ↩︎
  25. Buzzi RM, Huber LC. Emerging risks of health optimisation: refractory nausea associated with peptide injections reported to contain retatrutide. BMJ Case Rep. 2026;19(10):e276106. PubMed. PMID: 42843917. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2026-276106. Single case report; abstract read. ↩︎
  26. Sehgal NKR, Tronieri JS, Rader B, Ungar L, Guntuku SC. Self-Reported Adverse Effects Among Social Media Users Taking Nonapproved Retatrutide. JAMA Netw Open. 2026;9(10):e2638929. PubMed. PMID: 42873503. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.38929. Full text read (Europe PMC). Cross-sectional analysis of Reddit posts; self-reports, not verified diagnoses. ↩︎
  27. Mozaffarian D, Agarwal M, Aggarwal M, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2025;33(8):1475–1503. (sections on low appetite, protein and fluids) Full text. PMID: 40445127. doi: 10.1002/oby.24336. ↩︎

Free guide

The GLP-1 eating plan

Eight pages to print and keep, built protein first for days when appetite is small. Sourced, like everything on Lighter Days.

  • Seven days of four small meals, with protein and fiber counted
  • A food list: what to eat more often, and what to go easy on
  • A shopping list and a page to take to your prescriber or dietitian

You’ll also get early access to Replenish and a few emails a month. Unsubscribe any time.