In one corner, we’ve got Mounjaro, and in the other, Ozempic. They’re both once-a-week injectable drugs designed to help patients with type 2 diabetes manage blood sugar.

Ozempic and similar drugs are advertised all over the place, from television ads, public transit, audio streaming platforms and of course social media. Ozempic is a brand name semaglutide, a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes.

Federal officials are targeting the blockbuster drugs as part of their ongoing initiative to lower drug costs.

GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss involve all kinds of side effects—good and not-so-good—that may or may not strike the average user. (Reminder that there are many of these meds now. GLP-1s currently used for weight loss—although not all are expressly approved for this purpose—include Ozempic and Wegovy (semaglutide),

From science-backed supplements to insurance-covered nutrition therapy, here's your complete guide to effective weight loss when Ozempic isn't an option.