Tirzepatide Diarrhea: How Common, How Long It Lasts
Yes. Diarrhea is listed in 2 of 2 tirzepatide labels. The highest rate in each label runs from 17% on Mounjaro to 23% on Zepbound. Placebo in the Zepbound trials: 8%. Smaller, slower meals help most.
- Labels that list it
- 2 of 2
- Highest rate
- 23% Zepbound
- Lowest rate
- 17% Mounjaro
Zepbound: key facts
With a 5 to 6 day half-life, half remains at 5.5 d. Five half-lives (27.5 d) leave about 3%.
In SURMOUNT-1 over 72 weeks, body weight fell 20.9%, compared with 3.1% on placebo.
Prices each month in US dollars include the list price and self-pay offers, all taken from the maker's price page.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), Eli Lilly 1 2, cnbc.com.
Frequency with tirzepatide compared with placebo
For each dose group, label trials list tirzepatide diarrhea. Within each trial, the placebo group serves as the comparison group.
| Medicine and dose | Diarrhea | Placebo | More than placebo | People in the trials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mounjaro 5 mg | 12% | 9% | +3 points | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
| Mounjaro 10 mg | 13% | 9% | +4 points | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
| Mounjaro 15 mg | 17% | 9% | +8 points | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
| Zepbound 5 mg | 19% | 8% | +11 points | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
| Zepbound 10 mg | 21% | 8% | +13 points | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
| Zepbound 15 mg | 23% | 8% | +15 points | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
Sources: Mounjaro label (DailyMed), Zepbound label (DailyMed).
A comparison of Diarrhea with tirzepatide and other GLP-1s
Every label covers its own trials, which used different groups of people. Consider it a rough guide.
The table also shows the pill forms Rybelsus and Foundayo.
| Medicine | Highest rate in the label | Dose group | Placebo | People in the trials |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Wegovy | 30% | 2.4 mg | 16% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
 Foundayo | 25% | 17.2 mg | 11% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
 Zepbound | 23% | 15 mg | 8% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
 Saxenda | 20.9% | all doses | 9.9% | Adults with obesity or overweight (weight management) |
 Mounjaro | 17% | 15 mg | 9% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
| Byetta | 13% | all doses | 6% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
 Trulicity | 12.6% | 1.5 mg | 6.7% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
 Victoza | 12% | 1.8 mg | 4% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
 Rybelsus | 10% | 14 mg | 4% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
 Ozempic | 8.8% | 1 mg | 1.9% | Adults with type 2 diabetes |
References: Ozempic label (DailyMed), Wegovy label (DailyMed), Rybelsus label (DailyMed), Mounjaro label (DailyMed), Zepbound label (DailyMed), Foundayo label (DailyMed), Trulicity label (DailyMed), Saxenda label (DailyMed), Victoza label (DailyMed), Byetta label (DailyMed).
Source: FDA label (DailyMed).
Why it happens on tirzepatide
These medicines slow down how quickly your stomach empties. Because food stays longer, diarrhea may occur, most often following a large or fatty meal.
Source: health.clevelandclinic.org
What the Mounjaro label states
The label uses these exact words about diarrhea:
“of the reported events occurred in patients who experienced gastrointestinal adverse reactions leading to dehydration such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea [see Adverse Reactions (6)].”
Source: FDA label (DailyMed).
What helps, step by step
- Drink water and an electrolyte drink to replace fluids and salts.
- For a while, eat soft, bland, low-fiber foods.
- Cut back on caffeine, alcohol and milk drinks.
- Ask your prescriber about an anti-diarrhea medicine from a drugstore.
- Eat smaller meals and stop when you feel full. These medicines slow down how fast your stomach empties.
- Eat slowly. Your brain needs time to register that you are full.
- Let your prescriber know if it does not ease. A different GLP-1 may be suggested by your prescriber, who may also slow the dose increases.
Before taking any drugstore product, check it with the GLP-1 interactions checker.
Source: health.clevelandclinic.org