Injections, pills, daily treatments, weekly treatments — when it comes to weight loss medication, you’ve got a lot of choices.
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Key Takeaways:
The best weight loss medication for men includes semaglutide (Ozempic®, Wegovy®), and tirzepatide (Mounjaro®, Zepbound®).
The best weight loss medication for you depends on your goals, BMI, current health, and medical history.
If eligible, you can access weight loss medications through Hims, including injections and pills.
A licensed healthcare provider can help you find the best treatment option for your needs.
Injections, pills, daily treatments, weekly treatments — when it comes to weight loss medication, you’ve got a lot of choices.
The best weight loss medication for you depends on your goals, health, medical history, and personal preferences.
We’ll cover the best weight loss medications for men, who qualifies for weight loss medications, and how to find the best treatment for you.
But first, here’s an overview of some of the best weight loss medications at a glance.
Drug | Injection or pill | FDA-approved for |
|---|---|---|
Ozempic® | Weekly injection | Type 2 diabetes |
Wegovy® | Weekly injection | Weight loss |
Zepbound® | Weekly injection | Weight loss |
Saxenda® | Daily injection | Weight loss |
Metformin | Daily pill | Type 2 diabetes |
The top weight loss medications for men come in the form of a daily or weekly injection. Here are some of your options.
Ozempic® is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. But healthcare providers sometimes prescribe it off-label for weight loss.
It’s a once-weekly injection containing the active ingredient semaglutide. Semaglutide belongs to a class of medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists.
GLP-1s work by suppressing your appetite and making you feel fuller. This helps you eat more nutritious foods and stick to healthy portion sizes.
Wegovy® is another once-weekly semaglutide injection, but it comes in a higher dose than Ozempic®. It’s FDA-approved for weight loss in people with obesity or overweight who have a weight-related health condition, like:
High blood pressure (hypertension)
High cholesterol (dyslipidemia)
Type 2 diabetes
People taking Wegovy® and making lifestyle changes for 68 weeks can lose an average of almost 15 percent of their body weight.
Mounjaro® contains the active ingredient tirzepatide. Tirzepatide is both a GLP-1 and a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist.
Like Ozempic®, this weekly injection is FDA-approved as a diabetes medication, but it’s sometimes prescribed off-label for weight loss.
Zepbound® is Mounjaro®’s weight loss counterpart. This weekly tirzepatide injection is FDA-approved for weight loss in people with obesity or overweight with a weight-related health condition.
Research shows that people taking 15 milligrams (mg) of Zepbound® and making lifestyle changes can lose an average of almost 21 percent of their body weight over 72 weeks.
Saxenda® contains the active ingredient liraglutide, another GLP-1. The big difference is that liraglutide is a daily injection instead of a weekly one.
Saxenda® is FDA-approved for weight loss in those with obesity or overweight who have a weight-related health problem.
Generic liraglutide is a daily weight loss injection. Since it’s generic, it’s often more affordable than brand-name GLP-1s.
It works in the same way as other GLP-1 drugs, by reducing your appetite and making you feel fuller.
Weight loss medications also come in the form of pills. Here are some oral weight loss treatments to consider.
Bupropion is an antidepressant that’s sometimes prescribed alongside other medications to promote weight loss. Besides depression, it’s FDA-approved to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and to help people quit smoking.
Metformin is a type 2 diabetes drug that’s sometimes prescribed off-label for weight loss. It’s a pill you take once, twice, or three times a day, depending on your dose.
It works by lowering blood sugar levels, reducing appetite, and potentially changing gut bacteria to promote weight loss.
One study found that metformin led to an average weight loss of about 13 pounds over 6 months.
Rybelsus® contains the active ingredient semaglutide. It’s FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, but again, it’s sometimes prescribed off-label for weight loss.
This is a once-daily pill.
→ Read next: Oral vs. Injectable Semaglutide
Qsymia is FDA-approved for weight loss and contains the active ingredients phentermine and topiramate. The phentermine-topiramate combination works to suppress appetite and promote feelings of fullness.
Qsymia is a once-daily pill.
Topiramate is sold under the brand name Topamax®, which is FDA-approved to treat epilepsy and prevent migraine attacks.
It’s sometimes prescribed off-label for weight loss because it might change food-related reward pathways in the brain and minimize overeating.
One clinical trial found people taking a daily dose of 192 or 384 mg of topiramate lost an average of about 6 percent of their body weight in 24 weeks.
Naltrexone is FDA-approved to treat alcohol use disorder and opioid dependence. It’s also sometimes used as part of a wider weight loss treatment plan.
The daily pill can block the effects of opioids on the brain, helping reduce cravings.
Weight loss medications come with different eligibility criteria. But, in general, you might qualify for weight loss medication if you have obesity or overweight and a weight-related health condition, such as:
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Type 2 diabetes
Sleep apnea
Heart disease
Healthcare providers often use body mass index (BMI) to determine if someone has obesity or overweight. A BMI of 25 to 30 is classified as overweight, and a BMI of 30 or more is classified as obesity.
The best weight loss medication for you depends on many factors, including:
Weight loss goals. If you want to lose more weight, a healthcare provider may recommend GLP-1 injections over weight loss pills, as they tend to be more effective for weight loss.
Contraindications. Some health conditions don’t play nice with certain medications. For example, you can’t take a GLP-1 if you have medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
Medical conditions to treat. On the flip side, some weight loss drugs can also treat or help with medical conditions. For example, Zepbound® is FDA-approved to treat moderate to severe sleep apnea, and Wegovy® is approved to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events.
Personal preference. You might have a strong preference for injections vs. pills or daily vs. weekly treatments. Or you may be looking for affordable obesity treatments over more pricey brand-name medications.
There’s a lot to weigh up, but you don’t need to figure it out alone. A healthcare provider can take into account your starting weight, goals, medical history, and personal preferences to recommend the best prescription medication for you.
If eligible, you can access weight loss medications through the Hims platform, including injections and pills.
After taking our free online weight loss assessment, a healthcare provider will go over your answers and recommend the best weight loss medications to suit your needs and goals.
If prescribed, you’ll not only get weight loss medication but also a personalized weight loss treatment plan and access to a variety of tools and resources to kickstart your journey.
That includes:
Trackers to help you build the healthy habits needed for weight loss
Personalized protein recommendations to help you maintain muscle
More than 100 recipes and nutrition guidance tailored to your eating style
Sleep and movement guides developed by experts
Help navigating common side effects like nausea and constipation
24/7 unlimited access to your Care Team to ask questions or get treatment tweaks
→ Learn more: What to Expect on Your First Month of Weight Loss by Hims
The best weight loss medication for men depends on your weight loss goals, overall health, medical history, and personal preference.
Here are the key points to keep in mind:
There are injections and pills. You might be able to access weight loss injections — like Wegovy® and weight loss pills — like metformin and topiramate.
Weight loss medications work in different ways. But many work by reducing hunger and making you feel fuller. This helps you stick to a nutritious eating plan and minimize overeating and mindless snacking.
A healthcare provider can help. A licensed healthcare professional can look at your goals, health, and medical history to determine the best weight loss medications for you.
Get answers to frequently asked questions about the best weight loss medications for men.
Weight loss medications work in different ways, but many work by suppressing your appetite, curbing food cravings, and making you feel fuller for longer. These changes in your hunger can make it easier to eat a healthy diet and stick to the right portion sizes.
→ Learn more: Does Weight Loss Medication Work?
You may be able to take weight loss medication until you hit your goal weight — and then beyond for long-term weight management. Many prescription drugs for weight loss are designed for long-term use. You can also stop weight loss medication if you’d prefer.
There isn’t a set timeframe for how long it takes weight loss medications to work. You might notice changes in your hunger in the first few days or weeks on your medication, and then weight loss in a few weeks. Significant weight loss and health improvements can take a few months.
The best way for men to lose weight is by adopting a combination of lifestyle changes. That includes eating more nutritious foods, doing more movement, getting enough sleep, and lowering stress levels. For some, weight loss medications — like semaglutide or tirzepatide — are a useful addition to a weight loss treatment plan.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards.
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