PepsRadar
⌕ Search✧ Ask
Tirzepatide is FDA-approved; retatrutide is still investigational and not FDA-approved. Retatrutide adds a third target, the glucagon receptor, to tirzepatide’s GIP and GLP-1. Its phase 3 trials (TRIUMPH) reported large weight losses, but long-term safety is not yet known.
| Fact | Tirzepatide | Retatrutide |
|---|---|---|
| FDA status | FDA-approved | Not FDA-approved |
| Half-life | About 5 days (FDA label, MOUNJARO ↗) | Not on an FDA label |
| What it is | Tirzepatide is a dual-incretin medicine with distinct product and indication contexts. Its clinical-trial material is not interchangeable with a research-use vial. | Retatrutide is a triple-receptor agonist investigated for obesity and related metabolic conditions. Its trial identity differs from unverified coded seller listings. |
| Human evidence | 3 randomized trials | 4 randomized trials |
| Human safety data | FDA label. Tirzepatide is a GIP/GLP-1 drug for weight and diabetes; stomach side effects are common, and the label warns of thyroid C-cell tumors in rats, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease and kidney injury. | Trials only. Investigational triple-hormone drug, not FDA-approved. Large trials report frequent digestive side effects, heart-rate increases and some low blood pressure; long-term risks are unknown. |
| Boxed warning | Caused thyroid C-cell tumors in rats; it is unknown whether it does in humans. Do not use with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or with MEN 2. | No FDA label to carry one |
| Serious risks |
|
|
| Conditions flagged | Blood thinners or bleeding problems, Diabetes or blood-sugar medicines, Cancer, now or in the past, Pregnancy or breastfeeding, Kidney problems | Heart or blood pressure problems, Diabetes or blood-sugar medicines, Cancer, now or in the past, Pregnancy or breastfeeding, Kidney problems, Blood thinners or bleeding problems |
| Claim check | False: Research-labeled GLP-1 peptides sold online, including coded names like 'GLP3-R', 'R', 'GLP1-S' or 'GLP2-T', are the same as retatrutide, Ozempic or Mounjaro. | False: Research-labeled GLP-1 peptides sold online, including coded names like 'GLP3-R', 'R', 'GLP1-S' or 'GLP2-T', are the same as retatrutide, Ozempic or Mounjaro. |
Each row comes from the Tirzepatide and Retatrutide profiles, where every fact links to its source. “Conditions flagged” lists the health conditions each profile’s Risks & interactions section mentions.
Human randomized trial · 2,539 adults with obesity, or overweight and a weight-related complication, without diabetes.
Mean weight reductions were 15.0%, 19.5%, and 20.9% across active groups versus 3.1% with placebo. Gastrointestinal effects were common.
Limitation: This trial cannot be compared directly with STEP 1 as if participants were randomized between the two drugs. Outcomes depend on population, duration, regimen, and handling of discontinuation.
Human randomized trial · 1,879 patients with type 2 diabetes; mean baseline HbA1c 8.28%.
Mean HbA1c fell by 2.01–2.30 percentage points in the tirzepatide groups and 1.86 with semaglutide. Weight reductions were greater with tirzepatide; between-group differences ranged from 1.9 to 5.5 kg. Gastrointestinal adverse effects were common.
Limitation: Open-label design; the semaglutide comparator was its diabetes dose, not the higher weight-management dose. It is not a universal ranking across all products or doses. Funded by Eli Lilly.
Human randomized withdrawal trial · 670 adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes who completed a 36-week open-label lead-in; 783 initially enrolled.
After a mean 20.9% reduction during lead-in, weight changed by −5.5% with continued treatment versus +14.0% with placebo from week 36 to week 88. At least 80% of the lead-in loss was maintained by 89.5% versus 16.6%.
Limitation: Only lead-in completers were randomized. Gastrointestinal events were more common with continued treatment. This does not determine an individual stopping plan or prove that every patient will regain the same amount.
Human phase 2 randomized trial · 338 adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition.
At 48 weeks, average weight reduction reached 24.2% in the highest studied group versus 2.1% with placebo. Gastrointestinal events and dose-related heart-rate increases were reported.
Limitation: This early efficacy trial does not establish long-term outcomes or verify commercial “R” products. Study doses describe the trial, not instructions for using research chemicals.
Triple-Hormone-Receptor Agonist Retatrutide for Obesity - A Phase 2 Trial. ↗
Human randomized trial · 281 adults with type 2 diabetes randomized; 275 included in efficacy analyses.
At 24 weeks, mean HbA1c reductions ranged from 0.43 to 2.02 percentage points across retatrutide groups, versus 0.01 with placebo and 1.41 with dulaglutide. All but the lowest retatrutide group outperformed placebo on that endpoint. Gastrointestinal adverse events were reported.
Limitation: Phase 2 size and duration limit conclusions about uncommon harms and long-term outcomes. Not every retatrutide group outperformed the active comparator. Trial findings do not authenticate coded “R” seller listings. Funded by Eli Lilly.
Human phase 3 randomized trial · 2,339 adults with obesity and without diabetes, including 574 with knee osteoarthritis and 243 with obstructive sleep apnea.
Average weight change was -17.6%, -23.7% and -25.0% across the three retatrutide groups versus -3.9% with placebo. Knee pain and sleep apnea events improved more than with placebo in their subgroups. Gastrointestinal events were the most common adverse events.
Limitation: Funded by Eli Lilly. Eighty weeks cannot show long-term safety, weight maintenance after stopping, or effects on heart attacks and strokes. Retatrutide remained investigational when checked, and trial results do not verify any seller listing.
Human phase 3 randomized trial · 1,152 adults with overweight or obesity (BMI 27 or higher) and type 2 diabetes at 92 centers in eight countries; mean age 55.
Average weight change was -11.9%, -16.8% and -18.8% across the three retatrutide groups versus -5.1% with placebo, and 84% of participants completed the study drug. Gastrointestinal events were the most frequent adverse events.
Limitation: Funded by Eli Lilly. Long-term safety and cardiovascular outcomes need separate trials, and results describe the manufacturer’s study drug only.
Results from different trials are not a head-to-head comparison: the people, preparations, durations and measures differ.
Retatrutide sold online under codes such as “GLP-3” or “R-30” is not the trial drug, and its identity cannot be verified. PepsRadar does not list it.
PepsRadar does not give doses or usage instructions, and this page is not medical advice. For a prescription medicine, talk to your prescriber or pharmacist.
Other comparisons: BPC-157 vs TB-500 · Semaglutide vs Tirzepatide · CJC-1295 vs Ipamorelin · Sermorelin vs Tesamorelin · Selank vs Semax · MOTS-c vs Elamipretide · Ipamorelin vs MK-677 · AOD-9604 vs HGH Fragment 176-191 · Thymosin alpha-1 vs Thymosin beta-4 · Tesamorelin vs CJC-1295 · GHK-Cu vs AHK-Cu · Epitalon vs Pinealon
See something wrong on this page? Report a mistake · Corrections