Switched from tirzepatide to retatrutide for prep and not going back
12 posts · started by FLbodybuilder · Nov 5, 2024
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FLbodybuilder
1,336 posts · joined Feb 2015
Nov 5, 2024 at 12:00 PM
#1
Running prep right now, 10 weeks out. Was on tirzepatide for 6 months and it worked but the stomach bloat was real - that distended look even when lean made me nervous. Switched to retatrutide 6 weeks ago. Started at 0.25mg twice a week Monday and Thursday and escalated slowly. Currently at 1mg twice weekly. GI sides are way milder and fat loss feels comparable. Anyone else made this switch?
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Jock
1,016 posts · joined Mar 2015
Nov 6, 2024 at 12:00 PM
#2
Been on retatrutide since January. Triple agonist versus tirzepatide dual agonist is the key difference - you get the glucagon receptor activation on top which gives more fat oxidation. The gut distension thing with Ozempic and tirz is real and it matters on stage. Retatrutide does not seem to cause the same issue. Only gripe is the cost, significantly more expensive to source than tirzepatide was 18 months ago.
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Beantown Rick
552 posts · joined Jun 2016
Nov 7, 2024 at 12:00 PM
#3
How are you managing the appetite cycling? I found on day 5-6 after a Monday pin the appetite starts creeping back pretty hard. That signal to eat more on days 5-6 can mess with a prep if you are not ready for it. Some guys I know split to three times a week to smooth that out. Monday Wednesday Friday at lower individual dose gives a more even appetite suppression through the week.
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Marc NL
233 posts · joined Jul 2019
Nov 8, 2024 at 12:00 PM
#4
How are you sourcing it? Tirzepatide got much easier to find over the last year but retatrutide is still hit and miss depending on which country you are in. I am in the UK and my usual research chem supplier listed it about 4 months ago. Quality seems fine but would be interested to know what others are using.
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NYCgains
237 posts · joined Nov 2019
Jan 5, 2025 at 12:00 PM
#5
Just started looking into retatrutide. The triple agonist mechanism makes sense for bodybuilding - you want the fat oxidation from the glucagon pathway on top of appetite suppression. My concern is sourcing quality product. Tirzepatide got easier to verify over time as more labs tested it. Retatrutide is still early enough that quality control across suppliers is probably inconsistent. Anyone got a reliable supplier they trust?
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BERLINER
516 posts · joined Sep 2016
Jan 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM
#6
I have been running tirzepatide for 6 months and considering the switch. The gut distension concern you mention is something I have noticed in photos around week 8-10 of a caloric surplus - a slight bloated look that should not be there at my body fat percentage. If retatrutide avoids this it is worth trying. What did your escalation protocol look like, how many weeks from 0.25mg twice weekly to your current dose?
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MunichMarc
278 posts · joined Dec 2018
Jan 17, 2025 at 12:00 PM
#7
Very interesting thread. I have been researching GLP-1 peptides for appetite management alongside my first proper blast. Tirzepatide was what I was looking at but retatrutide sounds like it might be better for bodybuilding specifically. My main concern is dosing conservatively enough on a first run alongside AAS - do you start both at the same time or establish one first before adding the other?
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Dutchman
568 posts · joined Apr 2016
Apr 27, 2025 at 1:20 PM
#8
The triple agonist mechanism is the key difference. GLP-1 plus GIP plus glucagon receptor activation gives retatrutide more fat oxidation pathways than tirzepatide. The GI profile being cleaner for bodybuilding use is consistent with what I have read and what I am seeing personally. Tirzepatide gave me noticeable bloating at 5mg weekly. Retatrutide at comparable effect doses has been much cleaner on the gut.
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Mick AU
463 posts · joined Aug 2017
Apr 27, 2025 at 4:06 PM
#9
Made the switch 10 weeks ago. Starting at 0.25mg twice weekly and escalating slowly. At 1mg twice weekly now and the appetite modulation is consistent without the GI issues I had on tirzepatide. The gut distension is genuinely gone which is the main reason I switched. Still early to call the full result but the side effect profile is clearly better for on-stage presentation.
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TEXMEX
334 posts · joined May 2017
Apr 27, 2025 at 6:53 PM
#10
Tried retatrutide for the last 8 weeks of my most recent prep. The appetite control is real without killing your ability to hit calorie targets when you actually need to eat. That balance is the hard part with GLP-1 compounds - Ozempic was too aggressive and I could not get the calories in I needed. Retatrutide at low dose gives you the control without making eating a chore.
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MunichMarc
278 posts · joined Dec 2018
Apr 29, 2025 at 1:26 AM
#11
I am interested in retatrutide but it is hard to source in Germany right now. Has anyone found a reliable European supplier? The tirzepatide to retatrutide comparison is very interesting for prep purposes. I had good results with tirzepatide at 5mg weekly but the GI profile was difficult to manage in the final weeks before competition.
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Paris GH
164 posts · joined Mar 2018
May 1, 2025 at 10:53 PM
#12
I have been considering retatrutide for my next prep. Tirzepatide was effective but the gut distension issue is a real concern for competitors. The triple agonist mechanism makes pharmacological sense for superior fat oxidation. Sourcing in France is the challenge - I will need to look at European research suppliers. This thread has been useful for the dosing protocol, thank you.