LearnTirzepatide vs Semaglutide: GLP-1/GIP vs GLP-1
Research overview
Tirzepatide vs Semaglutide: GLP-1/GIP vs GLP-1
Tirzepatide vs semaglutide
A dual agonist next to a single one. What the extra GIP target means, and how Tirzepatide GLP-2 is listed here.
Heads up: this is product info for lab and research use only. It isn't medical advice, and it doesn't diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
One target or two
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Tirzepatide is a dual agonist: it works on GLP-1 and on GIP, a second gut hormone receptor. Both are approved prescription drugs, both are once-weekly in their clinical forms, and both are studied heavily around appetite, blood sugar, and body weight. The GIP piece is the part that makes tirzepatide different.
We list tirzepatide as Tirzepatide GLP-2, a 20mg research vial in Metabolic. We don't carry semaglutide.
What the research compares
Head-to-head trials in people with type 2 diabetes (the SURPASS program) compared tirzepatide with semaglutide and reported bigger changes in blood sugar and weight on the tirzepatide side. Reviews also note that tirzepatide binds the GIP receptor about as well as natural GIP, but binds the GLP-1 receptor more weakly than natural GLP-1. Researchers are still working out exactly how much of the difference comes from GIP itself.
Those are clinical studies run under medical supervision, with approved drugs. They describe what happened in those studies, not what a research vial will do, and none of it is advice to use either compound.
Side by side
- Semaglutide: GLP-1 only. Approved since 2017. Not sold here.
- Tirzepatide: GLP-1 + GIP. Approved since 2022. Listed here as Tirzepatide GLP-2, 20mg.
- Retatrutide, for context: GLP-1 + GIP + glucagon. Still investigational. Listed here as Reta GLP-3 in 20mg, 30mg, and 50mg.
Keep reading
The compound background is in What is Tirzepatide GLP-2?. For the three-target compound, see Retatrutide vs Semaglutide and Reta GLP-3 vs Tirzepatide GLP-2. Why we use “GLP-2” and “GLP-3” in the names is covered in GLP-1 vs GLP-2 vs GLP-3.
Quick answers
How is tirzepatide different from semaglutide?
Tirzepatide acts on two receptors, GLP-1 and GIP. Semaglutide acts on GLP-1 only. That second target is the main thing research comparing the two looks at.
Why is it called Tirzepatide GLP-2 here?
It's catalog shorthand for a dual agonist (GLP-1 plus GIP). It doesn't contain the separate hormone called GLP-2. The naming is explained on our GLP-1 vs GLP-2 vs GLP-3 page.
What size is the tirzepatide vial?
Tirzepatide GLP-2 is a 20mg lyophilized research vial in the Metabolic group.
Related listings
Nearby catalog cards for what this page covers.
This is product information, not medical advice, and not a prescription. Nothing here diagnoses, treats, cures, or prevents disease. Talk with a licensed clinician before using any peptide or booster.