Tirzepatide dose range
The amounts people commonly use, from the low end to the high end, with syringe units, schedule and half-life. The 8 published studies are one click away.
Human trials Metabolic Also called LY3298176
Common use ranges
Mostly from the official drug label or its main trials, plus clinic protocols. Label and clinic charts match exactly.
- Half-life
- about 5 days
- How it is taken
- subcutaneous injection
- How long people use it
- Long-term weekly use. The label is for weight loss and keeping it off long term, with no set end date.
- Mixing used for the units
- 60 mg vial + 2 mL water. 1 unit on a U-100 insulin syringe = 300 mcg.
Pick your vial size and how much water you add. The units below change to match.
60 mg vial + 2 mL water: 1 unit = 300 mcg
| Tier | Each dose | Syringe units60 mg vial + 2 mL water | How often | Schedule | Vial lastsat this tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 [1] | 2.5 mg | 8.3 units 0.08 mL | once a week | Weeks 1 to 4, once a week | 6+ weeks |
| Step 2 [2] | 5 mg | 16.7 units 0.17 mL | once a week | Weeks 5 to 8, once a week. Also a label maintenance dose. | 6+ weeks |
| Step 3 [3] | 7.5 mg | 25 units 0.25 mL | once a week | Weeks 9 to 12, once a week | 6+ weeks |
| Step 4 [4] | 10 mg | 33.3 units 0.33 mL | once a week | Weeks 13 to 16, once a week. Also a label maintenance dose. | about 6 weeks |
| Step 5 [5] | 12.5 mg | 41.7 units 0.42 mL | once a week | Weeks 17 to 20, once a week | about 5 weeks |
| Max [6] | 15 mg | 50 units 0.50 mL | once a week | Week 21 on, once a week. Label maximum. | about 4 weeks |
Good to know
- Step up by 2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks.
- Label maintenance is 5, 10 or 15 mg once a week. 10 or 15 mg for sleep apnea.
- Nausea hit about 25 to 29 percent in the main trial vs 8 percent on placebo.
- Clinics often hold a dose longer than 4 weeks if nausea or vomiting is strong.
- Label multi-dose pens and vials hold 10 to 60 mg. Compounded vials seen at 20, 30 and 50 mg.
- Doses above 15 mg were not studied.
Sources for these amounts
- Step 1: Zepbound prescribing information (Lilly) · FormBlends, compounded tirzepatide dosage chart
- Step 2: Zepbound prescribing information (Lilly) · FormBlends, compounded tirzepatide dosage chart
- Step 3: Zepbound prescribing information (Lilly) · FormBlends, compounded tirzepatide dosage chart
- Step 4: Zepbound prescribing information (Lilly) · FormBlends, compounded tirzepatide dosage chart
- Step 5: Zepbound prescribing information (Lilly) · FormBlends, compounded tirzepatide dosage chart
- Max: Zepbound prescribing information (Lilly) · FormBlends, compounded tirzepatide dosage chart
How long people use it: Zepbound prescribing information (Lilly)
Half-life: Mounjaro FDA label, section 12.3
Take the Tirzepatide chart with you
Get a one-page printable chart for Tirzepatide, with the syringe units for each vial and water mix. We can also email you when a new Tirzepatide study is published.
This page shows what labels, clinics and users report, and what studies gave. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation for anyone. Many of these compounds are not approved for human use. Check your own medicines and lab work with a licensed clinician before using anything.
See the science: 8 published studies
Amounts given to people in studies
How it was given: Under the skin (SC)
Phase 3 trials started at 2.5 mg and stepped up 2.5 mg every 4 weeks.
Every study used for this page
Proof grade: Human trials. Tested in randomized human trials. Amounts are quoted as each study reported them. Where the abstract does not state an amount, the row says so.
| Study | Who was studied | Amount given, as reported | Route | How often | How long | What the authors reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMID 304730972018 | Human phase 1 (142 received a dose) + mice | SAD 0.25 to 8 mg (healthy); 4-wk MAD 0.5 to 10 mg (healthy); 4-wk POC 0.5 to 15 mg (T2D). Doses above 5 mg reached by titration | SC | Single dose (SAD), weekly (MAD, POC) | SAD single; MAD and POC 4 weeks | 10 mg and 15 mg significantly cut weight and glucose in T2D. Mouse doses not in abstract |
| PMID 302937702018 | Human, T2D, phase 2 (316 mITT) | 1, 5, 10, 15 mg (LY3298176 = tirzepatide) vs dulaglutide 1.5 mg, placebo | SC | Once weekly | 26 weeks | HbA1c -1.06% (1 mg), -1.73% (5 mg), -1.89% (10 mg), -1.94% (15 mg) vs -0.06% placebo |
| PMID 341860222021 | Human, T2D, phase 3 SURPASS-1 (n=478) | 5, 10, 15 mg vs placebo | SC | Once weekly | 40 weeks | HbA1c -1.87%, -1.89%, -2.07% vs +0.04%; weight loss 7.0 to 9.5 kg |
| PMID 341706472021 | Human, T2D, phase 3 SURPASS-2 (n=1879) | Tirzepatide 5, 10, 15 mg vs semaglutide 1 mg | SC | Once weekly | 40 weeks | HbA1c -2.01, -2.24, -2.30 points vs -1.86 with semaglutide 1 mg |
| PMID 343709702021 | Human, T2D, phase 3 SURPASS-3 (n=1444 randomized) | 5, 10, 15 mg (start 2.5 mg, +2.5 mg every 4 weeks) vs insulin degludec | SC | Once weekly | 52 weeks | HbA1c -1.93%, -2.20%, -2.37% vs -1.34% degludec |
| PMID 356580242022 | Human, obesity, phase 3 SURMOUNT-1 (n=2539) | 5, 10, 15 mg vs placebo (20-week dose escalation) | SC | Once weekly | 72 weeks | Weight -15.0%, -19.5%, -20.9% vs -3.1% placebo |
| PMID 373852752023 | Human, obesity + T2D, phase 3 SURMOUNT-2 (n=938) | 10 mg, 15 mg vs placebo | SC | Once weekly | 72 weeks | Weight -12.8% (10 mg), -14.7% (15 mg) vs -3.2% placebo |
| PMID 403535782025 | Human, obesity, phase 3b SURMOUNT-5 (n=751) | Max tolerated dose, 10 mg or 15 mg, vs semaglutide max tolerated 1.7 or 2.4 mg | SC | Once weekly | 72 weeks | Weight -20.2% tirzepatide vs -13.7% semaglutide |
How to read the study numbers
- One study, one group. Each figure is what one team chose for its own participants or animals.
- Route matters. An amount given into a vein (IV) is not the same as the same amount under the skin, in the nose or by mouth.
- Animals are not small people. An animal amount is shown as the study gave it. It is not a human amount.
- Short studies. Many studies ran days or weeks. They do not show what happens over longer use.
Common questions
What amounts of Tirzepatide were used in human studies?
In the studies listed here, people were given from 1 mg weekly (0.25 mg single test dose) up to 15 mg weekly. The amount used most often was 5, 10 or 15 mg weekly. These are what study teams chose for their participants under supervision.
Where do these Tirzepatide numbers come from?
From 8 published studies, each linked to its PubMed or ClinicalTrials.gov record. Every figure was checked against the study abstract or its open full text. Proof grade: Human trials.
How long does Tirzepatide stay in the body?
Its half-life is about 5 days in people. Half-life is how long it takes for half of a dose to leave the blood. The effect can last longer than that.
Is this a recommendation for how much Tirzepatide to use?
No. This page shows the amounts reported by drug labels, clinics and users, next to what researchers gave in studies. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation for anyone. Talk to a licensed clinician before using any of it.