Alternatives to Mounjaro

If you're looking for an alternative to Mounjaro, you're not alone. Whether it's due to the rising cost, side effects, or simply not seeing the results you hoped for, several clinically-proven alternatives are available.

This guide directly compares Mounjaro vs. Wegovy, Mysimba, Orlistat, and other weight loss treatments. We'll break down the differences in cost, effectiveness, and how they work to help you understand your options.

People have different reasons for considering an alternative weight loss medication to Mounjaro, including cost, side effects, poor weight loss results, personal preference, and issues with getting the medication.

Is there a cheaper alternative to Mounjaro?

Although Mounjaro is a popular weight loss injection that works well for many people, it is expensive, especially as it’s a long-term treatment. A 4-week supply of the lowest dose starts at £169.99 from ZAVA.

The cost has risen recently as the pharmaceutical company that produces Mounjaro, Eli Lilly, increased UK Mounjaro prices to be more in line with prices in the US.

The cost price of the highest strength Mounjaro pen has increased by 170%, and UK providers have to pass this increased cost on to patients. Lower-strength pens have also increased in price, although less dramatically.

This increase may mean patients who have previously been able to afford Mounjaro may now be unable to. These individuals may want an alternative weight loss medication that’s less expensive.

What if Mounjaro side effects are too strong?

All medication comes with potential side effects, and Mounjaro is no different.

Although many people take Mounjaro without any problems, more than 1 in 10 people who take the injection experience the most common side effects like nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhoea, or constipation.

Side effects tend to be worse when starting Mounjaro and after each dose increase, then improve as the body gets used to the medication.

These mild side effects can usually be managed at home by eating plain food, staying hydrated, and resting. But for some people, these side effects have a big impact on their life or do not improve. Rarely, some people experience more serious side effects.

In these cases, it’s often best to stop taking Mounjaro. After stopping Mounjaro, an alternative weight loss medication may be a better option to lose weight without experiencing the same side effects.

What if Mounjaro is not working for me?

When taking Mounjaro, you can expect to lose at least 5% of your starting body weight within the first 6 months. However, not everybody sees the same results.

If you have not lost this much weight in 6 months, a healthcare professional may suggest stopping the medication and trying an alternative.

What if I don’t want to inject medication?

Some people do not get on well with taking Mounjaro. This may be because they do not like injecting themselves, they forget to take it on time every week, or because of other reasons.

In this situation, patients may prefer an alternative that’s taken more regularly or a tablet instead of an injection.

There are a variety of clinically-proven weight loss alternatives to Mounjaro, including injections and tablets.

We’ve compared the different options – please note that the information on the effectiveness of the medications comes from clinical trials in which patients also made changes to their diet and exercise routines.

All alternative weight loss medications that ZAVA offers are cheaper than Mounjaro, including Wegovy, liraglutide, orlistat (Xenical, alli) and Mysimba.

The pharmaceutical companies that produce these medications sell them at lower prices than Eli Lilly charges for Mounjaro. Mounjaro has also become more expensive recently due to the UK-wide price increase, which has not impacted the other medications.

This recent price increase means more and more patients are looking for a cheaper, effective alternative to Mounjaro.

Alternative weight loss injections

Wegovy is a cheaper weight loss injection that is nearly as effective as Mounjaro. Containing the active ingredient semaglutide, Wegovy is also taken as a weekly injection and leads to an average of 17% weight loss in 68 weeks. It costs £99 for a 4-week supply of the lowest dose at ZAVA.

In comparison, patients on Mounjaro lost an average 22.5% in 72 weeks during clinical trials, but a 4-week supply of the lowest dose of Mounjaro costs £169.99.

The other weight loss injection option is liraglutide. This is taken daily, and weight loss results are lower than Mounjaro, but it’s more affordable. Over 56 weeks, patients lost an average of 8% of their weight, still making it an effective treatment. A 3-pack of liraglutide injectable pens costs £140.00 from ZAVA.

There are 2 main weight loss medications that are not injections: Mysimba and orlistat.

Mysimba

Mysimba tablets contain 2 active ingredients: naltrexone hydrochloride and bupropion hydrochloride. Together, these drugs work on the area of the brain responsible for appetite and food cravings, helping you to feel fuller for longer and reducing your appetite.

Each tablet contains a dose equivalent to 7.2mg of naltrexone and 78mg of bupropion.

Mysimba is taken on an increasing schedule over 4 weeks:

• week 1 – 1 tablet in the morning
• week 2 – 1 tablet in the morning and 1 tablet in the evening
• week 3 – 2 tablets in the morning and one tablet in the evening
• week 4 and onwards – 2 tablets in the morning and 2 tablets in the evening

After reaching the highest dose, Mysimba is then continued for 16 weeks and re-evaluated to see if it should be continued at this point.

Studies show that 62% of patients taking Mysimba lose ≥5% of their body weight in 56 weeks.

Orlistat

Orlistat tablets work by blocking the enzyme lipase that breaks down fats in the gut and helps the body absorb them. By blocking fat absorption, you will take in fewer calories from the fat in your diet, helping you to lose weight.

Orlistat should be taken up to 3 times a day with meals that contain fat. Swallow it whole with a glass of water right before, during, or up to an hour after meals. The standard dose is 120mg, but the brand alli contains a reduced dose of 60mg.

After 12 weeks, 60% of patients taking orlistat lose ≥5% of their starting body weight.

ZAVA offers generic orlistat tablets, a brand of orlistat called Xenical, and a lower-strength type of orlistat called alli that’s available without a prescription.

Future alternatives

In the future, it may be possible to buy tablets that contain the same ingredients that are found in weight loss injections. A new GLP-1 tablet is currently being studied called orforglipron. It’s being created by Eli Lilly for weight loss and diabetes. Clinical trials are still in early days, so it’s a while before we’ll see this hit the market, but current results show it can help patients lose 8 to 12% of their body weight by 26 weeks.

Some of these medications are already approved to treat diabetes, like Rybelsus (a tablet that contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient that’s found in Wegovy), but they are not currently approved for weight loss, as research is ongoing.

All medications come with side effects, but not everyone experiences them. People react to medications differently, and just because one medication gives you side effects does not mean another will.

Weight loss injections

With weight loss injections, including Wegovy, Mounjaro, and liraglutide, the very common side effects that affect more than 1 in 10 people include:

• feeling sick (nausea), diarrhoea, being sick (vomiting), and/or constipation
• stomach pain (Wegovy and Mounjaro)
• headaches (Wegovy and liraglutide)
• fatigue (Wegovy)

However, you may find that you experience some of these side effects with one weight loss injection but not with another.

Weight loss tablets

Weight loss tablets come with slightly different side effects.

Very common side effects of orlistat include:

• stomach pain/discomfort
• oily spotting from the back passage
• passing wind more often and/or with discharge
• more frequent or urgent need to open your bowels
• fatty/oily stools
• diarrhoea
• headaches
• cold or flu symptoms
• low blood sugar (in people with diabetes)

While the very common side effects of Mysimba include:

• headaches
• feeling/being sick
• constipation

Again, you may or may not experience these and other listed side effects when taking weight loss tablets.

If you’re struggling with feeling or being sick while taking Mounjaro, orlistat tablets may be a good alternative as they’re less likely to cause these side effects.

Many of the other side effects are shared across all weight loss medications. However, you may find that you experience side effects with one weight loss drug but not with another, even if it is listed for both.

The weight loss tablet alli can be bought over-the-counter. alli contains a lower dose of orlistat (60mg) and does not need a prescription. It works by reducing the amount of fat you absorb at each meal.

alli can be taken for up to 6 months for weight loss over-the-counter.

All weight loss injections require a prescription, so there are no weight loss injections that are available over-the-counter.

Based on current data from clinical trials, Mounjaro is the most effective weight loss medication for most people. Mounjaro patients lost an average 22.5% in 72 weeks, losing 21.4% more weight than patients taking a placebo injection (injection with no active ingredient).

In clinical trials of other medications, weight loss results were slightly smaller. For example, patients taking Wegovy lost an average of 17% of their weight in 68 weeks. This is still clinically significant weight loss, making it a great alternative with similar results.

Studies into higher doses of Wegovy are ongoing, and results look promising. Patients taking 7.2mg of semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy) lost an average 18.7% of their body weight in 72 weeks compared to 17% for those taking 2.4mg – the current highest dose of Wegovy licensed for weight loss.

In the future, a higher dose of Wegovy may be as effective as Mounjaro and available at a lower price, but Mounjaro is currently most effective for the majority of people.

There’s very limited evidence that natural weight loss treatments and supplements work. If you choose to try these products, make sure to do your own research and buy any weight loss supplements from a reputable provider.

Currently, no natural weight loss alternatives are recommended by the NHS or the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

The medications we’ve talked about in this article are prescription-only (except for alli), and should only be purchased from a reliable service with licensed healthcare professionals.

Websites claiming to sell weight loss injections without a prescription are not regulated and put you at risk of receiving counterfeit medications or taking medications that are not safe for you.

If you’re looking for a natural way to lose weight, a healthier lifestyle is the best way. This means eating a healthy, balanced diet where you’re taking in fewer calories a day than you’re burning (also known as a calorie deficit).

To achieve a calorie deficit, it’s a good idea to reduce the number of calories you’re eating and to burn more calories by exercising regularly and living a more active lifestyle.

Even small changes to your routine can help you to be more active, like taking the stairs instead of the lift, cycling to work rather than driving, or taking a short walk on your lunch break.

The best Mounjaro alternative depends on your reasoning for wanting to switch. For people who are getting good results while taking Mounjaro but are worried about cost, Wegovy is almost as effective but available at a cheaper price. Wegovy may also work for you if you’re not getting the results you expect from Mounjaro.

If you do not like getting an injection, you may prefer to take weight loss tablets like Mysimba or orlistat instead (although they are usually less effective). As these medications work on different pathways in the body, they may also be a good alternative if you’re experiencing side effects from Mounjaro.

The only way to know which medication is right for you is to have a consultation with a healthcare professional. They can assess your medical history, discuss your weight loss goals, and take into account your preferences to determine the most appropriate weight loss treatment for you.

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• Once-weekly semaglutide 7·2 mg in adults with obesity, The Lancet [accessed 07 October 2025]
• Slim chance of success’ with quick-fix diets, warns England’s top doctor, NHS [accessed 07 October 2025]
• Daily Oral GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Orforglipron for Adults with Obesity, The New England Journal of Medicine [accessed 07 October 2025]