Fat loss — what actually works, by evidence

Approved drug 5

• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29LiraglutideThe daily shot before Ozempic, approved for kids as young as six. Its main trial: 8% weight loss at 56 weeks.Evidence · Approved drugFDA approved
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29OrforglipronFoundayo: a daily weight-loss pill with no fasting rules. Phase 3: 11.2% weight loss at 72 weeks.Evidence · Approved drugFDA approved
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29SemaglutideThe weekly shot the FDA approved as Ozempic and Wegovy. Weight loss in its main trial: 14.9%, on average.Evidence · Approved drugFDA approved
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29SetmelanotideFor rare genetic obesity, not everyday weight loss. Phase 3: 8 of 10 patients lost at least 10% in a year.Evidence · Approved drugFDA approved
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29TirzepatideZepbound: the weekly shot that beat semaglutide head-to-head. Main trial: 20.9% weight loss at 72 weeks.Evidence · Approved drugFDA approved

Human trials 16

• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29AmycretinNovo's next weight-loss shot and pill, trials only. Every published result: Novo-funded trials, 759 people.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29AOD-9604Sold as growth hormone's fat-burning fragment. Its biggest trial, 536 people over 24 weeks, missed its goal.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29BimagrumabPitched as fat loss that keeps muscle. Alone, it took off less weight than semaglutide in a 507-adult trial.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29CagrilintideThe other half of Novo's CagriSema combo. Alone it's gray-market; paired, 20.4% weight loss at 68 weeks.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29CagriSemaNovo's two-drug shot built to beat Zepbound. 20.4% weight loss in Phase 3; the FDA hasn't ruled yet.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29DulaglutideTrulicity: a weekly diabetes shot, not a weight-loss drug. Typical loss: 2–5 kg.Evidence · Human trialsFDA approved
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29EcnoglutideChina's weekly weight-loss shot, billed as beating semaglutide. The proof: a conference poster at week 20.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29EloralintideLilly's next weight-loss shot, in trials only. Phase 2: 20% weight loss at 48 weeks in 263 adults.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29MariTideAmgen's bid for a once-a-month obesity shot. In print so far: one efficacy trial, 592 people, Amgen-funded.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29MazdutidePrescribed in China since 2025; not approved in the US. Main trial: 14.4% weight loss at 32 weeks.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29PemvidutideAltimmune's two-in-one weight-loss shot, in trials only. Phase 2: 15.6% loss at 48 weeks in 391 adults.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29PramlintideApproved in 2005 for diabetics on insulin: three shots a day, boxed warning. Not a weight-loss drug.Evidence · Human trialsFDA approved
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29RetatrutideLilly's triple-hormone shot, trials only; gray-market copies sell anyway. Phase 2: 24.2% loss at 48 weeks.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29SurvodutideBoehringer's two-in-one weight-loss shot, in Phase 3. Phase 2 beat placebo by up to 12 points of body weight.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29TesofensineBack on the gray market since the weight-loss-shot shortages. Phase 2: 9.2% loss in 24 weeks; no Phase 3.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29VK2735Viking's rival to Mounjaro, in trials only. Phase 2: 14.7% weight loss in 13 weeks at the top dose.Evidence · Human trialsResearch only

Human pilots 3

• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29CardarineTaken as an exercise pill for fat loss. Its maker quit after 2-year rodent tests found tumors at every dose.Tumors in rats and mice at every doseEvidence · Human pilotsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29GlumitideLilly's trial-only shot, built from one half of Zepbound. Data: two Phase 1 studies, four weeks of dosing.Evidence · Human pilotsResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29PetrelintidePitched as the weight-loss shot you can stay on. The 10.7% result is company-reported; no paper yet.Evidence · Human pilotsResearch only

Animal only 8

• Fat lossUpdated Sep 295-Amino-1MQSold as a fat-loss pill for a stubborn metabolism. Every result so far: obese mice, from one lab.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29AdipotidePitched as a way to starve fat cells of blood. Obese monkeys lost 11% of their fat; their kidneys objected.Kidney damage in primate trialsEvidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29AICARSold as exercise in a pill. The 2008 mice ran 44% farther; no human trial has matched it.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29GW-0742Sold as a 'cleaner Cardarine' for endurance and fat loss. Human studies: zero; it never entered trials.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29HGH Fragment 176-191Sold as 'HGH frag' for fat loss. Human trials of this exact fragment: zero; its cousin AOD-9604 failed.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29Nesfatin-1Studied since 2006 as an appetite brake. It has never been given to a person in a trial.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29SLU-PP-332Sold as exercise in a pill. The evidence: one 2023 mouse paper where mice ran 70% farther.Evidence · Animal onlyResearch only
• Fat lossUpdated Sep 29SR9009Sold online as exercise in a pill. The fat loss came from mice injected for 30 days; no human trial.Case report: liver failure, transplantEvidence · Animal onlyResearch only

No data 0

None.

Also used for fat loss 2

Here for a second use. Each meter rates the compound’s main use, the tag on its card.

• Muscle & growth hormoneUpdated Sep 29TesamorelinApproved for HIV-related belly fat; clinics use it off-label. Its 412-patient trial cut belly fat 15–18%.Evidence · Approved drugFDA approved
• LongevityUpdated Sep 29MOTS-cSold as exercise in a bottle. Mice ran longer; human trials of injected MOTS-c: zero.Evidence · Animal onlyNot legal yet