Tirzepatide Dosage Chart (mg and Units)

Tirzepatide is started at 2.5 mg once a week and raised in 2.5 mg steps after at least 4 weeks on each dose, up to a maximum of 15 mg weekly. Many people stay at a lower dose if it works well for them. This guide shows the standard schedule, how to read your vial, how milligrams (mg) convert to syringe units, and what to do if you miss a dose.

Important: this chart is general information, not a prescription. Your provider decides your dose and when it changes. Always follow your provider's instructions and your prescription label.

Tirzepatide dosage chart

The schedule below comes from the FDA-approved prescribing information for Zepbound (tirzepatide injection), the branded medication for chronic weight management. Doses are taken once a week, on the same day each week.

Standard tirzepatide dosing schedule (Zepbound label)

The 2.5 mg dose is only for getting started. Each increase comes after at least 4 weeks on the current dose, and moving up is not automatic: if you are losing weight steadily at a lower dose, your provider may keep you there.

Once you reach your goal, your provider may lower your dose to find the lowest dose that keeps your weight stable. If you start regaining weight, your dose may need to go back up.

Compounded tirzepatide is not FDA-approved, and there is no official dosing chart for it. Providers who prescribe it usually follow a similar gradual schedule, but doses and schedules can differ by pharmacy. Always follow your prescription label.

Weight loss dosing vs diabetes dosing

Tirzepatide is also sold as Mounjaro, which is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes. Mounjaro uses the same steps: 2.5 mg to start, increases of 2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks, and a 15 mg maximum. The difference is the purpose of treatment, not the dose schedule.

What the research shows at each dose

In the SURMOUNT-1 trial, adults with obesity or overweight (without diabetes) took branded tirzepatide once weekly for 72 weeks, along with diet and activity changes. Average weight loss was:

Average weight loss after 72 weeks in SURMOUNT-1

These results come from the FDA-approved branded medication. There are no comparable trials of compounded tirzepatide, and individual results vary.

How to read your vial label

Your vial label shows two different numbers, and mixing them up is the most common cause of dosing mistakes:

• Concentration is how much tirzepatide is in each milliliter (mL) of liquid, for example 10 mg/mL. It describes the vial and stays the same for the whole vial.

• Your dose is how much tirzepatide you take each week, for example 2.5 mg. It comes from your prescription and changes as your provider adjusts it.

You need both numbers to work out how many units to draw. The same 5 mg dose can be 50 units from one vial and 100 units from another, depending on the concentration.

What your medication should look like: a reddish color means your vial contains the B12 additive, and a clear liquid means it does not. Both are normal. If the liquid is cloudy, has particles, or doesn't match your prescription, stop and contact support.

Tirzepatide mg to units conversion

You draw each dose with a U-100 insulin syringe, where 1 unit equals 0.01 mL. The formula is: units = dose in mg ÷ concentration in mg/mL × 100

Tirzepatide mg to units on a U-100 syringe, by vial concentration

*More than one 100-unit syringe. Units are for a U-100 insulin syringe.

Example: if your vial says 10 mg/mL and your dose is 2.5 mg, the math is 2.5 ÷ 10 × 100 = 25 units.

Measure carefully. A small misreading can cause a large dosing error. FDA has received reports of patients drawing 50 units instead of 5. If you are unsure, ask your provider or pharmacist before injecting.

Why the dose goes up slowly

Tirzepatide acts on two hormone pathways (GLP-1 and GIP) that slow digestion and reduce appetite. The most common side effects are digestive: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation and stomach pain. They are most likely when you start or move up a dose.

Increasing slowly gives your body time to adjust. If side effects are hard to manage, providers often keep you at your current dose for longer before increasing.

What to do if you miss a dose

The Zepbound prescribing information gives this guidance for a single missed weekly dose:

• If it has been 4 days (96 hours) or less since the missed dose, take it as soon as you can.

• If it has been more than 4 days, skip the missed dose and take the next one on your usual day.

• Keep at least 3 days (72 hours) between any two doses. This also applies if you want to change your injection day.

If you have missed 2 or more doses in a row, contact your provider before your next dose. If you have been off the medication for less than 4 weeks, you can usually resume the same dose. From 4 to 8 weeks, you would restart one dose step lower. From 8 to 12 weeks, you would restart at the second dose step. After more than 12 weeks, you would restart at the first dose step.

If you take too much

Extra medication most often causes mild stomach side effects. If nausea, vomiting or abdominal discomfort keeps getting worse, go to urgent care because this can be pancreatitis. Never double up on doses.

If you believe you took more than prescribed, contact your healthcare provider promptly. You may also contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. For severe or life-threatening symptoms, call 911 or seek emergency medical attention.

Handling and storing your vial

Use a new needle and syringe for every dose. Discard the vial by the date from your pharmacy or 28 days after first use, whichever comes first. If your medication arrives warm, contact the pharmacy or support before using it.

Important safety information

Do not use this medication if you or a family member has had medullary thyroid cancer, or if you have MEN 2. Do not use it during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, and stop at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy. Tell your provider if you use insulin or other diabetes medications, because they can increase the risk of low blood sugar.

Birth control: if you use birth control pills, switch to a non-oral method or add a barrier method for 4 weeks after starting and for 4 weeks after each dose increase.

Get emergency care for severe abdominal pain, especially pain that spreads to your back. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of your face, lips or tongue. Tell your provider right away about a neck lump, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or thoughts of harming yourself.

See the full Important Safety Information.

How dosing works at NativeMed

At NativeMed, a licensed U.S. provider reviews your intake and medical history and decides whether compounded tirzepatide is appropriate for you. Before treatment, you'll be asked to give your consent to treatment with a compounded medication. If it's prescribed, the provider sets your starting dose and adjusts it over time based on how you respond.

Plans start from $183 a month, at the same price for any dose. If prescribed, your medication is prepared by a licensed U.S. compounding pharmacy and ships free. See compounded tirzepatide plans.

Taking semaglutide instead? See the semaglutide dosage chart.

Compounded medications are not approved by the FDA, and the FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are dispensed. Individual results vary.