Retatrutide vs tirzepatide vs semaglutide: the next generation
How the newer GLP-1 medications compare to the established ones — in plain language, with an honest note on what's approved and what isn't.
The GLP-1 field is moving fast. Semaglutide and tirzepatide are the established, approved options; retatrutide is the most talked-about of the next wave. Here’s how they line up — and an honest note on availability.
The short version
- Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) acts on one pathway, GLP-1. It’s approved, widely used, and well understood.
- Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) acts on two pathways, GIP and GLP-1. Also approved, and in head-to-head trials it has generally produced more weight loss than semaglutide.
- Retatrutide acts on three — GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon — and has reported some of the largest trial results so far.
The honest part
Retatrutide is not approved or available. As of 2026 it’s in late-stage trials. Survodutide (GLP-1 plus glucagon) and CagriSema (a GLP-1 paired with an amylin analog) are also in the pipeline. We don’t quote trial weight-loss figures as promises — results vary and the drugs are still under review.
If you see retatrutide sold online, that’s outside the approval process, which carries real uncertainty about what’s actually in the vial. That’s a conversation for a clinician, not a checkout page.
What this means for tracking
Whichever you’re on — an approved medication or something you’re tracking as part of a trial — the record is the same: weekly dose, dose escalation, weight trend, side effects. Lirea keeps it encrypted on your device, with no account and nothing on a server, and it doesn’t sell or supply any medication.
More pathways, more potency, more pipeline — but approval and availability still matter.
Track what you’re actually on, keep it private, and let the field mature before the marketing does.