Can you take Trulicity injections for weight loss?
Trulicity is not an approved treatment for weight loss, but Wegovy and Mounjaro are effective and approved alternatives. Learn more in our guide.
Injectable weight loss medications are getting more popular as a convenient and effective way to lose weight alongside a healthy diet and lifestyle.
The two most commonly prescribed weight loss injections are Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide). These medications are known as 'GLP-1 receptor agonists' – they mimic a natural hormone called 'GLP-1', which is involved in appetite control and blood sugar management.
Trulicity (dulaglutide) is also a GLP-1 receptor agonist. So, it's natural you might wonder whether you can use Trulicity injections for weight loss, too.
Can you use Trulicity injections for weight loss?
The short answer is no. While Trulicity has yielded some weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes,¹ this is not the primary purpose of the drug. Trulicity was designed as a type 2 diabetes drug and is only licensed in the UK for blood sugar control.
That means it shouldn't generally be prescribed for weight loss – and any prescriptions of this nature would be considered 'off-label'. This is when a drug is prescribed for something it isn't licensed for.
Where losing weight is the goal, medical professionals and regulatory bodies recommend using licensed and clinically proven weight loss treatments. That includes Mounjaro and Wegovy.
Why is Trulicity not approved for weight loss?
Regulatory bodies – such as the FDA in the US and the MHRA in the UK – conduct clinical trials to ensure a drug is safe for use.
However, these trials generally focus on one particular use for the drug. Wegovy and Mounjaro, for example, underwent extensive trials that focused explicitly on weight loss as the end goal.² ³
Trulicity's trials focused on testing the drug as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. During these trials, researchers also looked for changes in weight among participants – but this wasn't the main goal of the studies.⁴
This doesn't mean it isn't safe as a weight loss treatment. However, it does mean that its safety and effectiveness as solely a weight loss drug are not fully understood.
H3: Could Trulicity become a licensed weight loss treatment?
Perhaps. However, it's worth considering that a comparison study has already shown that Wegovy outperforms Trulicity in terms of weight loss.⁵
In the SUSTAIN 7 trial, those receiving the highest tested dose of semaglutide lost 6.5 kg on average. However, those receiving the highest tested dose of dulaglutide – the active ingredient in Trulicity – lost an average of 3kg.
Trulicity is an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes. However, you could argue that there's little point in licensing it for weight loss when more successful treatments like Wegovy are already available.
H3: Access expert-supported, clinically proven weight loss treatments with SemaPen
SemaPen is a weight loss clinic specialising in expert-led treatments for obesity. That includes the clinically proven weight loss injections Wegovy and Mounjaro, as well as SemaHealth – our dietitian-led meal replacement and fitness programme.
When you join our programmes, you can expect:
- Around 21% weight loss with Mounjaro³
- Around 15% weight loss with Wegovy²
- Between 12% and 15% weight loss with SemaHealth⁶
But it's our expert support that really sets us apart. All our programmes are designed by UK obesity specialists and include tailored support to help you achieve your goals and learn healthy lifelong habits.
Ready to take the next step on your weight loss journey? You can find out if you're eligible today by taking our simple
digital consultation.
Sources
1. Bonora, E. et al. (2021) "Effect of dulaglutide 3.0 and 4.5 mg on weight in patients with type 2 diabetes: Exploratory analyses of AWARD‐11" Diabetes Obesity Metabolism, 23(10) https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.14465
2. Wilding, J.P.H. et al. (2021) "Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity" The New England Journal of Medicine, 384(11)
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
3. Jastreboff, A.M. et al. (2022) "Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity" The New England Journal of Medicine, 387(3) https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038
4. Frias, J.P. et al. (2021) "Efficacy and Safety of Dulaglutide 3.0 mg and 4.5 mg Versus Dulaglutide 1.5 mg in Metformin-Treated Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in a Randomized Controlled Trial (AWARD-11)"
Diabetes Care, 44(3)
https://doi.org/10.2337/dc20-1473
5. Pratley, R.E. et al. (2018) "Semaglutide versus dulaglutide once weekly in patients with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN 7): a randomised, open-label, phase 3b trial"
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 6(4)
https://doi.org/10.1016/s2213-8587(18)30024-x
6. Valabhji, J. et al. (2024) "Early findings from the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme: a prospective evaluation of real-world implementation"
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 12(9)
https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(24)00194-3
This article was reviewed and approved by Lujain Alhassan, Bariatric Dietitian, and Sarah Abdula, Specialist Dietitian, on 3 December 2025.
