Mounjaro: uses, doses, cost and what to eat

What is Mounjaro and how does it work?

Tirzepatide is the active substance in Mounjaro. It activates the receptors of two gut hormones, GIP and GLP-1. Both are involved in the body’s response to food. The medicine helps release insulin when blood glucose is high and reduces glucagon, the hormone that raises blood sugar. It also affects appetite and slows stomach emptying [1].

This effect may make you feel full sooner. People’s experiences differ. Sometimes a usual portion feels too large; at other times, getting through meals can be difficult. Eating less because you have little appetite can also reduce dietary variety and protein intake if nobody reviews your eating plan [2].

In consultations, we find that a useful question is which foods you can still manage comfortably. We look at meal times, digestive tolerance and strength, as well as weight. A small plate can still include eggs, fish, pulses or plain yoghurt. The choice depends on what you tolerate and your needs.

If your appetite decreases, every meal matters for looking after your nutrition and strength.

Mounjaro belongs to the group of treatments covered in our guide to GLP-1 medicines. If you would like to learn more about the molecule, read the tirzepatide guide.

Who is it authorised for in Spain?

The indication depends on the reason for treatment. The authorisation for type 2 diabetes includes adults and children aged 10 and over. The indication for weight management is for adults only [1].

The indication for children and adolescents is type 2 diabetes, never weight management. In children and adolescents, the maximum dose and monitoring also differ from those for adults [1]. If you are seeking nutritional support for a child or adolescent, a separate paediatric assessment is needed.

The fact that several people around you use it does not tell you whether it is right for you. Your doctor reviews your goals, medical history, other treatments and possible risks. If you use insulin or a sulphonylurea, they should monitor you particularly closely for low blood glucose [1]. We support your eating habits once the medical decision has been made.

What do doses of 2.5, 5, 10 and 15 mg mean?

The adult starting dose in the product information is 2.5 mg once a week. After four weeks, it increases to 5 mg. If a further increase is needed, the increments are 2.5 mg, with at least four weeks at each dose level [1]. This information helps you understand your prescription; it is not an instruction to change it.

• 2.5 mg once a week is the starting dose [1]
• 5 mg may be a maintenance dose in adults [1]
• 7.5 and 12.5 mg are intermediate steps when an increase is indicated [1].
• 10 and 15 mg are also adult maintenance doses; 15 mg is the maximum weekly dose [1].

For type 2 diabetes from the age of 10, the maintenance doses are 5 and 10 mg; 10 mg is the maximum weekly dose for children and adolescents [1]. An adult’s dosing schedule must not be applied to a child or adolescent.

If digestive symptoms get worse, speak to your prescriber before the next dose increase. Do not move up a dose level sooner or use a pen of a different strength to create your own dosing schedule.

A higher dose is not necessarily a better choice for you. The product information lists several maintenance doses, and your doctor weighs up benefits, symptoms and goals [1]. If you are advised to stay on a low dose, ask what the aim is and when it will be reviewed.

Tirzepatide slows stomach emptying, and the product information recommends monitoring oral medicines with a narrow therapeutic index, such as warfarin or digoxin, particularly when starting treatment and increasing the dose [1]. The Spanish product information does not call for an adjustment to the dose of oral contraceptives, although it recommends that women of childbearing potential use contraception during treatment [1]. Always discuss this with your prescriber; do not adjust any medicine yourself.

How much does Mounjaro cost, and is it funded by the public health system?

Mounjaro is not covered by public funding. In December 2025, the Interministerial Commission on Medicine Prices proposed that its KwikPen devices should not be included in public healthcare [3]. It cited the budget impact and the need to rationalise spending. The Spanish Ministry of Health’s medicines catalogue lists it as not funded [4].

This means you pay the full amount at the pharmacy, even if a doctor working in the public health system writes the prescription: no public health system co-payment; it is not funded. The situation may change, so check when you receive your prescription [4].

The price depends on the dose and presentation: €207.91 – €446.07. This is an indicative range: we have not been able to verify it by national product code using a publicly available official source. To find out the exact amount, ask the pharmacy about the presentation on your prescription.

To compare the funding and cost of other treatments, see our guide to GLP-1 prices in Spain. In a consultation, we can help you plan your eating around a realistic budget, without getting involved in prescribing.

What side effects may occur?

Digestive side effects are the most common. Nausea and diarrhoea are listed as very common in the product information. In weight-management trials, vomiting, abdominal pain and constipation are also very common [1].

Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea occur more often when the dose is increased and usually ease over time [1]. Overall frequency figures cannot predict what will happen to you.

These measures may make meals easier to manage, but they do not replace a medical assessment if symptoms persist.

What should you eat while taking Mounjaro?

With a smaller appetite, a balanced diet still needs protein, vegetables, fruit, carbohydrate-containing foods and usual sources of fat. A high-protein yoghurt can be part of it, but it does not replace a varied diet. Nutritional advice and strength training are among the recommendations made by scientific societies [2].

If a large meal makes you feel sick, try a smaller portion and eat again when you feel better. A simple example is an omelette with bread and tomato. Another is lentils with vegetables and a little rice. If cold food is easier to tolerate, plain yoghurt with fruit and oats may be practical.

Nausea can make it harder to drink. Keep water nearby and spread your fluids throughout the day. If vomiting or diarrhoea means you cannot drink, follow the warning advice below. Avoid turning feeling unwell into a permanent list of foods you have cut out.

What we see in consultations

“I’ve been told to eat high-protein yoghurts” is a common question. We look at the rest of the day before adding products. Sometimes whole meals are missing; at other times, most of the protein is eaten at just one meal. We also ask about strength, digestion and your relationship with food.

In consultations, we adapt what you eat to what you can tolerate. If breakfast is difficult, perhaps you could have toast with egg later. If meat feels too heavy, there are fish, pulses, tofu and dairy foods. Our guide to what to eat with GLP-1 treatment and its weekly menu offers ideas for planning the week.

Weight loss can also include loss of lean mass. Professional societies recommend monitoring strength, function and body composition, as well as meeting nutritional needs [2]. In our guide to protein and muscle with GLP-1, we explain how to combine food and strength training without promising that all muscle can be preserved.

A first step for this week: notice which meal you are leaving unfinished and look for a protein-containing option that you can tolerate.

What happens if you reduce the dose or stop taking Mounjaro?

Maintenance treatment is part of the indication for weight management [1]. Your doctor may suggest continuing on a maintenance dose and reviewing your response. That decision depends on your circumstances. A “low dose” does not mean that your weight is guaranteed to stay the same on its own.

In a withdrawal trial, people who continued tirzepatide maintained more of their weight loss than those who switched to placebo. The study’s primary aim was to compare weight maintenance after continuing or withdrawing the medicine [5]. Its results cannot predict how much weight any one person will regain.

If you are thinking about stopping, speak to your prescriber before changing your treatment. Agree how your blood glucose will be monitored if you have diabetes, and what you will review about your appetite. From a nutritional perspective, we work on sustainable meals, strength and routines that can continue afterwards. Weight regain can happen despite this work; it is not a personal failure.

The guide to weight regain after GLP-1 treatments explains how to prepare for this stage. Although its title mentions Ozempic and Wegovy, questions about stopping treatment are also relevant if you have been prescribed tirzepatide.

When might it not be suitable?

The only contraindication in the product information is an allergy to tirzepatide or any of its ingredients. In other situations, the product information advises caution or a medical assessment beforehand [1].

• Pregnancy: the product information does not recommend its use during pregnancy or if you could become pregnant and are not using contraception. If you are planning a pregnancy, your prescriber will stop it at least one month beforehand [1].
• Breastfeeding: after a single 5 mg dose, transfer into breast milk ranged from undetectable to very low; discuss this with your doctor [1].
• Previous pancreatitis or severe digestive disease, such as severe gastroparesis: caution is advised [1].
• Diabetic retinopathy requiring treatment or macular oedema: caution and eye monitoring are advised [1].
• An operation or procedure involving deep sedation: tell the team that you use it, because your stomach may not be empty [1].

If you have or have had an eating disorder, tell your doctor and mental health professional before starting a GLP-1 medicine. Scientific societies recommend assessing this history before treatment begins [2]. At Alimmenta, our Psychology team supports this aspect alongside nutritional care.

None of these situations can be resolved with a general list: your doctor will review the whole picture. In nutrition consultations, we adapt your eating plan once there is a shared clinical plan.

If you live in Latin America

The Spanish authorisation and funding by Spain’s National Health System do not describe the situation in another country. Registered presentations, indications, prescription requirements and coverage may vary in Mexico, Argentina or Colombia. Check the information with your country’s health authority and the professional caring for you.

If you already have a prescription and live outside Spain, we can support you online with your eating habits. For dosing and medical follow-up, continue to coordinate with your prescriber in your country.