Tirzepatide side effects: 29 percent nausea on one label and 15 percent on the other
Tirzepatide reads 29 percent nausea at 10 mg on the Zepbound label and 15 percent at the same dose on the Mounjaro label. One molecule, one maker, two trial populations and two different table cuts. GLP Chart read both FDA labels on DailyMed, revised August 2026 and August 2026.
| Reaction | Placebo (n=958) | 5 mg (n=630) | 10 mg (n=948) | 15 mg (n=941) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 8% | 25% | 29% | 28% |
| Diarrhea | 8% | 19% | 21% | 23% |
| Vomiting | 2% | 8% | 11% | 13% |
| Constipation | 5% | 17% | 14% | 11% |
| Abdominal pain (stomach pain) | 5% | 9% | 9% | 10% |
| Dyspepsia (indigestion) | 4% | 9% | 9% | 10% |
| Injection site reactions | 2% | 6% | 8% | 8% |
| Fatigue | 3% | 5% | 6% | 7% |
| Hypersensitivity reactions (allergic-type reactions) | 3% | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Eructation (burping) | 1% | 4% | 5% | 5% |
| Hair loss | 1% | 5% | 4% | 5% |
| Gastroesophageal reflux disease (acid reflux) | 2% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Flatulence (gas) | 2% | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Abdominal distension (bloating) | 2% | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Dizziness | 2% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| Hypotension (low blood pressure) | 0% | 1% | 1% | 2% |
- Diarrhea. The label counts diarrhea and frequent bowel movements in this row.
- Constipation. The label counts constipation and hard stool in this row.
- Abdominal pain. The label counts stomach pain, tenderness and discomfort in this row, wherever in the belly it sits.
- Injection site reactions. The label counts bruising, redness, itching, pain and rash at the injection site in this row.
- Fatigue. The label counts asthenia, fatigue, lethargy and malaise in this row.
- Hypotension. The label counts low blood pressure in this row, including the kind that hits on standing up.
The same molecule on the diabetes label
Mounjaro is tirzepatide for blood sugar. Same active ingredient, same maker. Its table is shorter and every shared row reads lower.
| Reaction | Placebo (n=235) | 5 mg (n=237) | 10 mg (n=240) | 15 mg (n=241) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 4% | 12% | 15% | 18% |
| Diarrhea | 9% | 12% | 13% | 17% |
| Decreased appetite | 1% | 5% | 10% | 11% |
| Vomiting | 2% | 5% | 5% | 9% |
| Constipation | 1% | 6% | 6% | 7% |
| Dyspepsia (indigestion) | 3% | 8% | 8% | 5% |
| Abdominal pain (stomach pain) | 4% | 6% | 5% | 5% |
Why the gap is not a difference between the drugs
The clinical trials enrolled different people. Zepbound's pooled adults with obesity or overweight. Mounjaro's pooled adults with type 2 diabetes, who were older and mostly taking other diabetes medicines. The placebo columns show it: 8 percent of Zepbound's placebo arm reported nausea against 4 percent of Mounjaro's.
The tables also use different cuts. Zepbound's lists anything that reached 2 percent, so it prints 16 rows. Mounjaro's lists anything that reached 5 percent, so it prints 7. Hair loss, burping and reflux appear on one and could never appear on the other.
The FDA prints a warning about this on both documents: rates from one drug's clinical trials cannot be compared directly with another's.
One row runs in opposite directions
Constipation falls as the Zepbound dose climbs, from 17 percent at 5 mg to 11 percent at 15 mg. On Mounjaro it rises, from 6 to 7 percent across the same three doses.
Nausea does something similar. It peaks at the middle dose on Zepbound and climbs the whole ladder on Mounjaro. Gut reactions of any kind sat flat at 56 percent on all three Zepbound doses and climbed from 37.1 to 43.6 percent on Mounjaro.
Neither label supports "a higher dose is always worse".
What the dose does to your bill
2 programs charge the same at every dose, the cheapest being Mochi Health at $278 a month.
| Program | At the dose you stay on | At the top dose it publishes |
|---|---|---|
| Strut Health | $149/mo | Not published |
| Mochi Health | $278/mo | Same price |
| Noom Med | $299/mo | Not published |
| Henry Meds | $299/mo | $349/mo |
| Medvi | $299/mo | Not published |
| Ivim Health | $300/mo | Not published |
| Lemonaid Health | $348/mo | Not published |
| Found | $349/mo | Not published |
| Shed | $349/mo | Same price |
Each figure is the total a month, membership and fees in, read off the program's own published pricing, checked August 31, 2026. A program that publishes no compounded tirzepatide price is not listed. See every price we track.
Compare every tirzepatide route at its maintenance price →
What the two labels tell a prescriber to do
Only one of them says anything. Zepbound's carries a step-down sentence: If patients do not tolerate a maintenance dosage, consider a lower maintenance dosage.
Mounjaro's carries none, and writes every step up as conditional on needing more glycemic control.
Both set four weeks as the minimum time on a dose and neither sets a maximum, so staying where you are breaks no rule in either document.
Both attach the same warning to the gut reactions. Dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea has caused kidney injury, so fluids are what to watch and what to report. Call the same day for severe stomach pain reaching your back, vomiting that stops you drinking for a day, or yellow skin or eyes. The triage list on the pillar page carries the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common tirzepatide side effects?
Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and constipation on both labels. At 10 mg, Zepbound reads 29 percent nausea and Mounjaro reads 15 percent. The placebo arms reported 8 and 4 percent respectively.
Why do the two tirzepatide labels report different rates?
Two reasons, both printed. The clinical trials enrolled different people: adults with obesity or overweight on Zepbound, adults with type 2 diabetes on Mounjaro. And the tables use different cuts, 2 percent against 5 percent, so Zepbound prints 16 rows and Mounjaro prints 7.
Does a higher tirzepatide dose mean more side effects?
It depends on the row and the label. Nausea peaks at the middle dose on Zepbound (25, 29, 28 percent) and climbs the whole way on Mounjaro (12, 15, 18 percent). Constipation falls with the dose on Zepbound and rises on Mounjaro.
Are compounded tirzepatide side effects the same?
Neither label covers a compounded product. A compounded version is made by a pharmacy to a prescription, is not FDA-approved, and its formulation including salt form can differ, so the rates on this page describe the two approved products only. Ask the prescriber what is in the vial.
How many people stop tirzepatide over side effects?
Zepbound's label gives the clearest figure: 4.8 percent at 5 mg, 6.3 percent at 10 mg and 6.7 percent at 15 mg, against 3.4 percent on placebo. It adds that most of those exits came in the first few months.
What does tirzepatide cost without insurance?
It depends on the route and the dose. The table above prices every program that publishes a cash compounded tirzepatide figure. Branded Zepbound prices sit on the Zepbound page and on the chart.
Every dosage sentence on this page is written to a prescriber, not to you. Holding a dose, dropping back or stopping changes what the drug is doing. Take the label language to the appointment.
Sources
Evidence checked August 31, 2026
Every figure above is taken from the document beside it, the FDA label or the trial that produced it, so you can read the source instead of trusting us. No clinician reviews these pages. What that means.
- Every rate in the Zepbound table, its 56 percent gastrointestinal figure and the maintenance-dosage sentenceFDA prescribing information for Zepbound (DailyMed, revised August 2026)
- Every rate in the Mounjaro table and its 37.1 to 43.6 percent gastrointestinal figuresFDA prescribing information for Mounjaro (DailyMed, revised August 2026)
