However, most herbal compounds lack the clinical evidence and potency of FDA-regulated prescription therapies, which have demonstrated weight loss of 15-22% in clinical trials
Not intended for individuals under the age of 18 unless instructed by a doctor
For chronic weight management, the FDA-approved indication for Zepbound (tirzepatide for obesity) does not specify a maximum treatment duration
Despite their hopes, they reported no results and expressed frustration with the cost: Shipping and customer service are common sources of complaints
The FDA resolved the semaglutide and tirzepatide shortages in 2025, ending the broad shortage-based pathway that powered large-scale compounding, and in April 2026 proposed excluding these drugs from the 503B bulks list, with a comment period through June 29, 2026
Summary comparison table Quick read: semaglutide remains the validated pillar with cardiovascular backing, tirzepatide dominates weight efficacy on solid data, and retatrutide pushes the frontier further at the cost of a dossier still consolidating