GLP-1 dosage for weight loss
You are trying to work out how much to draw or when to step up.
Reference and calculator, not medical advice. Dosing figures below are transcribed from FDA-approved prescribing information and link back to it. Last reviewed August 2026.
Two molecules dominate weight-management prescribing and they run on entirely different milligram scales. Semaglutide (Wegovy) goes 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg weekly across five steps. Tirzepatide (Zepbound) goes 2.5 mg to 15 mg weekly across six. The numbers are not comparable between them.
Side-by-side
Structural facts from each product’s prescribing information.
| Product | Active ingredient | Indication | Frequency | Start | Max labelled | Steps to max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy Novo Nordisk | Semaglutide | Weight management | Weekly | 0.25 mg | 2.4 mg | 5 |
| Zepbound Eli Lilly | Tirzepatide | Weight management | Weekly | 2.5 mg | 15 mg | 6 |
| Saxenda Novo Nordisk | Liraglutide | Weight management | Daily | 0.6 mg | 3 mg | 5 |
Wegovy titration schedule
Semaglutide · once weekly · subcutaneous injection · as published in the prescribing information
| Step | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–4 | 0.25 mg | Starting dose |
| Weeks 5–8 | 0.5 mg | — |
| Weeks 9–12 | 1 mg | — |
| Weeks 13–16 | 1.7 mg | — |
| Week 17+ | 2.4 mg | Maintenance dose |
This is the labelled default. Holding at a step longer than shown is common practice and is a decision for your prescriber. Transcribed from the Wegovy prescribing information (label revised 30 June 2026); checked against that label on 7 August 2026.
Zepbound titration schedule
Tirzepatide · once weekly · subcutaneous injection · as published in the prescribing information
| Step | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–4 | 2.5 mg | Starting dose — not intended for weight loss effect |
| Weeks 5–8 | 5 mg | — |
| Weeks 9–12 | 7.5 mg | — |
| Weeks 13–16 | 10 mg | — |
| Weeks 17–20 | 12.5 mg | — |
| Week 21+ | 15 mg | Maximum dose |
This is the labelled default. Holding at a step longer than shown is common practice and is a decision for your prescriber. Transcribed from the Zepbound prescribing information (label revised 6 May 2026); checked against that label on 7 August 2026.
Both schedules share a structure: a starting dose that the labelling describes as sub-therapeutic, stepped increases at four-week minimums, and a maximum that is a ceiling rather than a target. Holding at a step is routine; reaching the maximum is not an objective.
mg → syringe units converter
U-100 syringe. Formula: (dose ÷ concentration) × 100.
Check the concentration printed on the vial you are actually holding. The same dose in milligrams is a completely different mark on the syringe at a different concentration. If the number here does not match what your prescriber told you, trust your prescriber.
Sources and last review
Every dosing figure on this page is transcribed from an FDA-approved label and links back to it. Conversions are arithmetic you can repeat by hand. Nothing here is reviewed by a clinician, and this site does not employ one — which is exactly why what I do publish stays traceable to its source.
- Wegovy (Semaglutide) prescribing information — Novo Nordisk, label revised 30 June 2026, checked 7 August 2026
- Zepbound (Tirzepatide) prescribing information — Eli Lilly, label revised 6 May 2026, checked 7 August 2026
- Saxenda (Liraglutide) prescribing information — Novo Nordisk, label revised 15 June 2026, checked 7 August 2026
Transcribed from the labels above and checked by me — Gavin, who builds this site, takes a GLP-1, and is not a clinician. Last reviewed August 2026. Found an error? [email protected] — I treat corrections as bugs. How this site is built and funded.