Best GLP-1 for Weight Loss:

Ozempic, Wegovy, & Zepbound in 2025

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound have transformed the field of weight loss. If you’re searching for the best GLP-1 for weight loss, you’re not alone—these medications have become some of the most talked-about tools for achieving long-term fat loss, reducing appetite, and improving metabolic health.

But with popularity comes confusion. Which GLP-1 is best? What’s the difference between semaglutide and tirzepatide? Are compounded GLP-1s safe? Are they still available in 2025?

This guide breaks down the best GLP-1 medications for weight loss, including results, safety, FDA guidance, and cost-effective options.

Medical Support for Weight Loss Isn’t “Cheating”

Let’s be clear: using the best GLP-1 for weight loss isn’t “cheating” —it’s smart, evidence-based care. Just as we use medications to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, GLP-1s offer medical support for those struggling with weight.

Your willpower isn’t something that needs to be tested with  your health. Save that energy for the things that really matter: raising a family, thriving in your career, or pursuing your passions. Let medical support handle the biology of weight loss so you can focus on living your best life.

By targeting appetite and insulin regulation, GLP-1s make it easier to eat mindfully, build habits, and sustain change.

How GLP-1 Medications Work

GLP-1 weight loss medications work by mimicking the glucagon-like peptide-1 hormone, which affects appetite, insulin, and digestion. The result? Slower stomach emptying, better blood sugar control, and reduced cravings.

Today’s best GLP-1s for weight loss are injectables given weekly, requiring a prescription and medical supervision.

Ozempic vs Wegovy vs Zepbound For Weight Loss: What’s the Difference?

Semaglutide (Ozempic & Wegovy – Novo Nordisk)

  • Ozempic: FDA-approved for type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular risk reduction, and kidney health.
  • Wegovy: Approved for obesity and weight loss.
  • Both contain semaglutide and are functionally identical—just different indications and doses.
  • Ozempic is commonly prescribed off-label as a GLP-1 weight loss medication.
Ozempic is used as a GLP-1 weight loss medication in 2025
Ozempic contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 medication, and is often prescribed off-label for weight loss when Wegovy isn’t available or covered.

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro & Zepbound – Eli Lilly)

  • Mounjaro: Approved for diabetes.
  • Zepbound: FDA-approved for chronic weight management.
  • Both contain tirzepatide, and many now consider Zepbound the best GLP-1 for weight loss due to its unmatched results.
  • Like Ozempic with Wegovy, Mounjaro is also commonly prescribed for weight loss since it is the same medication as Zepbound.

GLP-1 Weight Loss Results: Which Works Best?

Here’s how the most common GLP-1s compared in trials over a similar length of time:

  • Wegovy (semaglutide): Up to 15% body weight loss in clinical trials.
  • Zepbound (tirzepatide): Up to 22.5% body weight loss, the best results yet.
  • Saxenda (liraglutide): An older GLP-1, this medication requires daily injections with only 5–8% average weight loss.

Semaglutide vs Tirzepatide is one of the most common questions—and tirzepatide (Zepbound) consistently proves to deliver the best GLP-1 weight loss results.

What About Rybelsus, Oral Semaglutide, Oral Tirzepatide, or GLP-1 Supplements?

  • Oral GLP-1s, such as oral semaglutide or tirzepatide are not as effective. While some like Rybelsus are prescribed for diabetes, they are generally not favored for weight loss.
  • GLP-1 support supplements are not true GLP-1 medications. These over-the-counter products often market themselves as natural alternatives, but they lack clinical backing.

If you’re serious about results, stick to FDA-approved GLP-1 medications for weight loss.

Are Compounded GLP-1s Safe in 2025?

Compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide became popular due to drug shortages and high costs. But in 2025, that’s changing:

  • Compounded tirzepatide was effectively banned by the FDA after March 19, 2024
  • Compounded semaglutide ends May 22, 2024 (unless extended)

Outside of narrow exceptions, compounded GLP-1 weight loss medications are no longer permitted by the FDA.

Why the crackdown?

  • Variable quality and potency
  • Higher contamination risks
  • Use of unapproved salt forms

Compounding pharmacies are allowed to produce copies of FDA-approved drugs when a shortage exists, meaning brand-name manufacturers can’t meet demand. However, the FDA has declared that this is no longer the case.

Providers who continue offering compounded weight loss medications to most or all of their patients after these deadlines are operating outside of FDA guidelines and attempting to exploit regulatory loopholes. Additionally, most reputable compounding pharmacies are halting production, meaning any compounded medications still available may come from less reliable or poorly regulated sources.

Minor changes in dosage or formulation do not make a compounded drug exempt. The FDA defines “essentially a copy” as having the same active ingredients, same route of administration, and a similar or easily substitutable dosage—and specifically prohibits compounding drugs that only differ in small, medically insignificant ways.

To better understand the FDA’s perspective on GLP-1 compounding, you can read:

For consistent results and safety, the best GLP-1 for weight loss is an FDA-approved version from a reliable source.

Are Brand Name GLP-1s More Affordable Now?

Yes. Brand name GLP-1 weight loss medications like Zepbound and Wegovy are more accessible than ever.

With new price drops, many patients are paying 50–70% less than they would have last year.

We help clients navigate options to find the best GLP-1 for weight loss at the best price, whether that is through a typical pharmacy or Lily Direct & Novo Care (the manufacturers’ direct-to-patient pharmacies).

A Zepbound injection pen which contains tirzepatide, typically seen as the best GLP-1 for weight loss
Zepbound is the latest FDA-approved GLP-1 for weight loss, shown here as a once-weekly tirzepatide injection with industry-leading results.

 

What Are the Side Effects of GLP-1 Medications?

Common side effects of GLP-1s include:

  • Nausea
  • Fatigue
  • Constipation or diarrhea

These typically resolve as your body adjusts. We guide clients through dosing and proper nutrition to reduce discomfort.

More serious side effects are possible, but often occur when patients are taking a dose higher than necessary or from nutritional deficiencies. We take a “lowest effective dose” approach to reduce these risks.

Compared to the risks of untreated obesity, the potential side effects of GLP-1 weight loss medications are usually minimal and manageable.

Will I Get Loose Skin or Lose Too Much Weight?

With any major fat loss, skin laxity can happen—but we help you avoid extreme weight loss and preserve skin tone by:

  • Aiming for 1–2 pounds per week so your body can adjust
  • Maintaining muscle through strength training and protein intake
  • Supporting collagen and hair health with guidance and discounts on our regenerative skin and hair treatments

However, in certain cases—such as individuals experiencing significant weight loss or those with naturally looser skin due to age—some degree of skin laxity may be unavoidable. Thomas Hilbert of PWL agrees – “With the new class of weight loss injections, medical oversight is not only the key to success but also the key to esthetically pleasing results.”

We go beyond the basics. Our clients receive aesthetic guidance and exclusive discounts on skin tightening, hair restoration, and other treatments during their journey – all included in our weight loss program – so you can feel confident and look as good as you feel.

Do I Need to Stay on GLP-1s Forever?

No. GLP-1 weight loss medications help regulate your appetite and insulin response, but they don’t shut down your body’s natural systems.

Once you reach your goal, you can:

  • Taper off the medication
  • Move to a lower maintenance dose
  • Stay on temporarily with continued support

We help clients transition off GLP-1s while keeping their progress. Many clients find that the lowered appetite while taking the medication makes it easier to form healthier habits.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Best GLP-1 for Weight Loss

Choosing the best GLP-1 for weight loss isn’t about hype—it’s about results, safety, and finding what fits your body and goals.

With medical guidance, FDA-approved options, and real support, you can lose weight and keep it off without guilt, guessing, or gimmicks. We’d love to help you in your weight loss journey while also ensuring you look and feel your best with our aesthetic options to promote health skin and hair.

If you have any additional questions, feel free to call or text us at 610-393-1253 or email us at info@allureaestheticsllc.com.

To learn more about some of our options for laser options for skin rejuvenation, check out our page on Moxi & BBL!