Tirzepatide dosage chart
The weekly tirzepatide schedule from the prescribing information, the units to draw for common vial strengths, and a calculator for any other strength. Written by our clinical team in Mission Viejo.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Nezar Dahdal, Medical Director · last reviewed September 2026
Tirzepatide dosage schedule in the prescribing information
This is the escalation schedule in the US prescribing information for Zepbound. Each step follows at least four weeks on the previous dose. Your prescriber sets the actual pace, and many patients stay on a lower dose that works for them. It is reference information, not a plan to follow on your own.
| When | Weekly dose | Role in the schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 4 | 2.5 mg | Starting dose, not a treatment dose. |
| Weeks 5 to 8 | 5 mg | Maintenance option. |
| Weeks 9 to 12 | 7.5 mg | Escalation step. |
| Weeks 13 to 16 | 10 mg | Maintenance option. |
| Weeks 17 to 20 | 12.5 mg | Escalation step. |
| Week 21 onward | 15 mg | Maintenance option, and the maximum dose. |
Tirzepatide dosage chart in units
For compounded vials drawn up with a U-100 syringe. Find your prescribed dose on the left and the concentration printed on your vial along the top.
| Prescribed dose | 5 mg/mL vial | 10 mg/mL vial | 20 mg/mL vial |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 mg | 50 units (0.5 mL) | 25 units (0.25 mL) | 12.5 units (0.125 mL) |
| 5 mg | 100 units (1 mL) | 50 units (0.5 mL) | 25 units (0.25 mL) |
| 7.5 mg | 150 units (1.5 mL) | 75 units (0.75 mL) | 37.5 units (0.375 mL) |
| 10 mg | 200 units (2 mL) | 100 units (1 mL) | 50 units (0.5 mL) |
| 12.5 mg | 250 units (2.5 mL) | 125 units (1.25 mL) | 62.5 units (0.625 mL) |
| 15 mg | 300 units (3 mL) | 150 units (1.5 mL) | 75 units (0.75 mL) |
Vial at a different strength? Use the calculator below, or the full tirzepatide dosage calculator.
Tirzepatide dose calculator
Enter the dose your prescriber gave you and the concentration printed on your vial label. The calculator converts it to units on a U-100 insulin syringe.
Enter your prescribed dose and your vial concentration to see the units.
This converts a dose you have already been prescribed. It does not recommend a dose. Always use the concentration printed on your pharmacy label. If the number here does not match what you were told, stop and call your prescriber before injecting.
Compounded tirzepatide and semaglutide are not FDA-approved. They are prepared by a licensed pharmacy for an individual patient, and their strength varies from pharmacy to pharmacy, which is exactly why the concentration on your own label is the number that matters. Brand pens (Zepbound, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Ozempic) deliver a fixed dose and need no conversion.
Why the schedule is so slow
Tirzepatide acts on two receptors, GLP-1 and GIP. Both slow stomach emptying and reduce appetite, and the body needs time to adapt to each step: the gut over roughly two weeks, appetite signaling over three to four. Climbing faster than that mostly adds nausea and vomiting, and makes people stop.
In SURMOUNT-1, the trial behind tirzepatide for weight management, the climb to the top dose was finished by week 20, and weight kept falling at a steady dose through week 72. The long tail of weight loss happens at a steady dose, not during the climb.
What our clinicians check before any dose change
A dose change is a clinical decision made at a check-in, never something to do on your own. These are the things our licensed medical professionals look at.
Before moving up a step
- Nausea is mild and limited to the day or two after the injection.
- You are drinking enough fluid, with no signs of dehydration.
- No new severe abdominal pain, and no other new symptoms.
- You feel ready for the next step. That matters.
Reasons to stay at the current dose
- Weight loss is on track, so there is no need to go higher.
- Mild but persistent nausea or constipation at the current dose.
- You are at or close to your goal.
- Protein intake would drop too low with less appetite.
Staying on a dose is not failing. Many long-term patients stay at 7.5 or 10 mg. Some do better with six to eight weeks at each step instead of four, particularly with a history of digestive sensitivity, or when a body composition scan shows muscle loss outpacing fat loss.
Stop and call your clinician
- Severe abdominal pain, especially pain that spreads to the back.
- Pain in the upper right abdomen after fatty meals.
- Vomiting that stops you keeping fluids down for a day or more.
- Pregnancy, or trying to become pregnant.
- A planned procedure with anesthesia or an endoscopy: tell the team doing it that you take tirzepatide.
Choosing a maintenance dose
There is no single best maintenance dose. The usual aim is the lowest dose at which weight is stable at goal and appetite is controlled without daily side effects. That is a decision you make with your prescriber, and it can change over time.
Common mistakes with the dosage chart
- Skipping the 2.5 mg start. It exists to limit early side effects, not as a treatment dose.
- Climbing through a plateau. Two or three weeks without scale movement is normal at any dose.
- Copying units from someone else's chart. Units depend on the vial strength, which varies.
- Stopping abruptly at goal. Weight tends to return after stopping; plan maintenance with your prescriber.
Sources
- Zepbound (tirzepatide) prescribing information, DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide) prescribing information, DailyMed
- Jastreboff AM et al. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity (SURMOUNT-1). N Engl J Med, 2022. PubMed
- FDA: FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss
Answers before you book
What is the standard tirzepatide dosage schedule?
Per the US prescribing information, 2.5 mg once weekly for four weeks, then increases of 2.5 mg after at least four weeks on each dose, up to a maximum of 15 mg. The maintenance doses are 5, 10 or 15 mg, and your prescriber decides the pace.
How many units is each tirzepatide dose?
It depends on the vial strength. On a 10 mg/mL vial, 2.5 mg is 25 units, 5 mg is 50 units, 7.5 mg is 75 units and 10 mg is 100 units on a U-100 syringe. The chart above covers 5 and 20 mg/mL too.
Can the schedule go faster than every four weeks?
Not under the label. Each step is at least four weeks on the previous dose, and slower is common. Faster increases mainly bring more nausea and more people stopping treatment.
What if I miss a dose?
The prescribing information says to take it within four days of the missed dose; if more than four days have passed, skip it and take the next dose on your regular day. After a longer gap, ask your prescriber how to restart.
Is Zepbound dosing different from Mounjaro?
No. Both are tirzepatide from the same manufacturer, with the same dose steps. Zepbound is approved for weight management and Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes.
Want a clinician to check your plan?
Book a free GLP-1 consultation, in person in Mission Viejo or by telehealth anywhere in California. No insurance needed.