Tirzepatide dosage: one ladder, two labels, and the compounded route with no label at all
Every tirzepatide product climbs the same ladder: 2.5 mg once weekly for 4 weeks, then 5 mg, then 2.5 mg increments with at least 4 weeks on each dose, to a maximum of 15 mg. The two FDA labels attach different conditions to it. Zepbound, approved for weight management, names 5, 10 and 15 mg as maintenance doses; Mounjaro, approved for type 2 diabetes, allows each increase past 5 mg only if more glycemic control is needed. A compounded program uses the same milligrams from a vial, with no label and no trial behind the formulation. All three are below, with the labels quoted from DailyMed.
Your prescriber sets your dose. This page reports what the labels say, so you can tell when a program's plan matches them and when it does not.
The ladder, with each label's condition
| Earliest week | Dose, once weekly | Zepbound label | Mounjaro label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 2.5 mg | Starter dose, not a maintenance dose. | Treatment initiation, not intended for glycemic control. |
| 5 to 8 | 5 mg | First maintenance option for weight reduction. | The first treatment dose, after 4 weeks. |
| 9 to 12 | 7.5 mg | Step dose, not a listed maintenance dose. | Only if additional glycemic control is needed. |
| 13 to 16 | 10 mg | Maintenance option; lowest dose for sleep apnea. | Same condition; the pediatric maximum. |
| 17 to 20 | 12.5 mg | Step dose. | Same condition. |
| 21 and on | 15 mg | Highest maintenance option and the maximum. | Adult maximum. |
Sources: the Zepbound label and the Mounjaro label on DailyMed. Full brand pages: Zepbound dosage and Mounjaro dosage.
What a compounded vial changes
A pen delivers a fixed dose. A compounded vial delivers whatever volume you draw, and the milligrams in that volume depend on the concentration the pharmacy compounded, which is why two programs can both say "5 mg" and hand you different syringes. Three things follow. Ask the pharmacy for the concentration in mg per mL before the first dose. Treat the schedule the program gives you as the prescriber's adaptation of a label, not a label. And read the price for the dose you will actually be on, because many programs charge more as the milligrams rise. These are the programs that publish one flat price across the ladder, from $209/mo:
- 1Bodybuilding Health+7.2/10 · Compounded Tirzepatide (1-month) · flat recurring rate · price checked 2026-09-03$209/moVisit
- 2TMates7.8/10 · Compounded Tirzepatide (month-to-month) · flat recurring rate · price checked 2026-09-03$297/moVisit
- 3Tonik Wellness7.6/10 · Compounded Tirzepatide, Monthly · flat recurring rate · price checked 2026-08-28$349/mo
- 4Fridays8.7/10 · Compounded Tirzepatide (month-to-month) · flat recurring rate · price checked 2026-09-03$389/moVisit
- 5Elevate Health7.2/10 · Compounded GLP/GIP tirzepatide, month to month · flat recurring rate · price checked 2026-09-03$449/mo
Sorted by verified flat price, not by who pays us. How we rank. Every tracked program, including per-dose pricing, is on cheapest tirzepatide. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved.
Missed doses, both labels
- Within 4 days (96 hours): take the missed dose as soon as possible, then resume the regular weekly day.
- More than 4 days: skip it and take the next dose on the regular day.
- Changing the day: allowed with at least 3 days (72 hours) between doses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tirzepatide dosing schedule?
Both FDA-approved tirzepatide products, Zepbound and Mounjaro, start at 2.5 mg once weekly for 4 weeks, move to 5 mg, and can then rise in 2.5 mg increments with at least 4 weeks on each dose, to a maximum of 15 mg once weekly for adults. The conditions on each increase differ by product, and both labels are quoted on this page.
Is there a tirzepatide dosing calculator?
Our dosing schedule calculator lays out the week-by-week timeline for tirzepatide and semaglutide from the labels. It does not calculate units for a compounded vial, because that depends on the vial's concentration, which only the dispensing pharmacy states; ask for the concentration in mg per mL before drawing a dose.
How is compounded tirzepatide dosed?
A compounded program prescribes the same milligrams the labels use, but from a vial rather than a pre-filled pen, so the volume you draw depends on the concentration the pharmacy compounded. No compounded formulation has its own FDA label or trial data; the schedule a program follows is the prescriber's adaptation of the Zepbound or Mounjaro ladder, and the price often changes with the dose. The programs below publish a flat price that does not.
What if I miss a tirzepatide dose?
Both labels say to take a missed dose within 4 days (96 hours), and otherwise to skip it and take the next dose on the regular day. The weekly day can be changed as long as at least 3 days (72 hours) separate two doses.
Can I stay on 5 mg?
On Zepbound, 5 mg is a listed maintenance dose for weight reduction. On Mounjaro, the label conditions increases past 5 mg on whether more glycemic control is needed, so staying at 5 mg is within the label. Your prescriber decides.
Dosing statements are quoted from the Zepbound and Mounjaro prescribing information on DailyMed, read September 4, 2026. Program prices from our database, verified on the dates shown. Informational only, not medical advice; your prescriber sets your dose. There are 54 programs in our index; the ones above are the flat-price subset.