Second Nature

Mounjaro is a dual-action weight-loss injection manufactured by the pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly. The active ingredient in Mounjaro is tirzepatide.

Tirzepatide is known as a GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist.

Mounjaro works by mimicking two hormones in the body (GLP-1 and GIP) that interact with the brain's appetite control centre, the hypothalamus, to lower food-seeking behaviours and hunger.

By lowering hunger, we're able to eat less and lose weight. You canread our full guidefor a more detailed analysis of how GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro work.

Mounjaro has additional mechanisms which support the management of blood sugar and fat storage, improving overall health.

Data fromrandomised controlled trialssuggests that you can lose up to 25% of your body weight on Mounjaro after one year. If you weighed 100kg, that would mean losing 25kg.

According to randomised controlled trials, you can start losing weight immediately after taking Mounjaro. After four weeks, the average weight loss is around 2% of body weight; after eight weeks, it's over 4%.

Interestingly, the initial weight loss is no different from other interventions to support weight loss, like diet and exercise without Mounjaro.

However, Mounjaro is a long-acting medication, and the real impact is seen beyond three months.

The cost of our Mounjaro weight-loss programme depends on the dose of Mounjaro medication you're on. For the lower doses 2.5 mg and 5 mg, the programme costs £229. If you're on the 7.5 mg or 10 mg dose it costs £269 and if you're on the higher doses 12.5 mg or 15 mg it costs £299. Note that these prices include 1-1 support from a registered nutritionist or dietitian, as well as our our award-winning lifestyle change programme that will help you adopt healthy habits so you can keep the weight off for good

Mounjaro and Wegovy aren't the same. The active ingredient in Mounjaro is tirzepatide, and semaglutide in Wegovy. However, they do share some similarities.

Mounjaro and Wegovy are GLP-1 receptor agonists, weight-loss injections that reduce appetite to support weight loss and improve blood glucose control through various mechanisms.

GLP-1 is a hormone that lowers hunger and food-seeking behaviours by communicating with the brain's appetite control centre, the hypothalamus. Mounjaro and Wegovy mimic the actions of GLP-1.

Mounjaro, in addition to being a GLP-1 receptor agonist, also mimics a hormone called GIP. GIP is a hormone in the body that supports blood glucose levels and helps our fat cells store more excess energy we might consume in our diets.

The main difference between Mounjaro and Wegovy is that Mounjaro mimics two hormones while Wegovy only mimics one.

Both medications have similar dosing schedules and are administered once a week. The main difference is the amount of medication used. The volume of the doses with Mounjaro is larger than with Wegovy.

Based on data from randomised controlled trials, Mounjaro appears to lead to more weight loss than Wegovy.

Research shows Mounjaro supports average weight loss of around 25% after one year and 16% on Wegovy.

However, responses to medications vary between individuals, and it's not certain which medication will support more weight loss as it's also down to lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise.

Mounjaro is approved to be used in the NHS in the future. However, it has not been confirmed when the NHS will start prescribing Mounjaro.

It's likely you'll need to be part of a tier 3 weight management service and meet some of the other eligibility criteria to get a prescription for Mounjaro on the NHS.

The best diet to eat while on Mounjaro is one based primarily on whole foods that limit the consumption of ultra-processed foods rich in refined carbohydrates and sugar.

On Second Nature, you'll have the support of a registered dietitian or nutritionist to help you make sustainable improvements to your eating habits.

Mounjaro and other GLP-1 medications are generally safe for most individuals. In a recent trial, only 3% of participants out of 330 on Mounjaro experienced serious adverse events.

Serious adverse events are those that hinder the individual's quality of life and often lead to the discontinuation of the medication.

As with all medications, Mounjaro comes with some potential side effects, and everyone will always respond differently.

These should be mild for most people and tend to resolve over time as your body adjusts to the medication and dose.

The most common side effects of Mounjaro are those related to the GI tract, such as nausea, diarrhoea, and constipation.

It's also common for some individuals to experience fatigue and lethargy on GLP-1 medications.

However, these side effects are typically transient and will ease as you adjust to the medication.

It can be hard at times to cope with these side effects, but we're here to support you through your journey and will guide you every step of the way.

You'll need to complete a consultation form that will be reviewed by the clinical team. If you meet our eligibility criteria, you'll receive Mounjaro in the post and start your Second Nature journey.

You'll inject the medication underneath the skin using an injection pen (a tiny needle - like a pinprick). You should inject into abdominal fat, thigh, or upper arm - ideally, you should rotate between these locations.

This is a painless and quick process, and we'll guide you through how to do this! Regardless of the dose, you'll only inject Mounjaro once per week.

Injections should be administered on the same day each week. These can be done at any time of day, with or without food.

Mounjaro treatment starts with a 2.5 mg dose once a week. This dose is then increased by 2.5 mg every month until you reach the highest maintenance dose of 15 mg.

However, if you respond well to lower doses of the medication and prefer to continue with a dose of 5 mg, for example, the clinical team can assist you with this.

If you forget to take a dose, you should inject as soon as you remember, as long as it's within five days of the missed dose. You can then take your next dose as planned.

For example, if you usually inject on a Monday, you have up to Friday to take your missed dose.

If more than five days have passed since you forgot to take a dose, skip that injection and wait for the next injection day to come around.

If you miss two consecutive weeks of doses, you should reach out to your health coach before restarting.

There are some known drugs that interfere with tirzepartide. During your consultation, we'll ask you to confirm all medications you're currently taking. We'll then advise on whether you're eligible to take Mounjaro whilst on other medications.

The injection pens should be stored in a fridge. Don't freeze them.

Yes - absolutely! You can travel through airports with your medication. You need to keep it in the box with the dispensing label clearly visible.

This is so that airport security can verify that the medicine has been dispensed by a registered pharmacy in your name.

If you have any issues, please contact medication@secondnature.io, and they'll be able to support you.