Schedule from the FDA prescribing information for Zepbound and Mounjaro (both tirzepatide). Weeks are the earliest each step can start; many people stay on a step longer or stop at a lower maintenance dose.
Tirzepatide titration schedule in U-100 units
| DoseWeeks (earliest) | 10 mg + 2 mL5 mg/mL | 30 mg + 3 mL10 mg/mL | 60 mg + 3 mL20 mg/mL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 mgWeeks 1–4 | 50 u(0.5 mL)4 per vial | 25 u(0.25 mL)12 per vial | 12.5 u(0.13 mL)24 per vial |
| 5 mgWeeks 5–8 | 100 u(1 mL)2 per vial | 50 u(0.5 mL)6 per vial | 25 u(0.25 mL)12 per vial |
| 7.5 mgWeeks 9–12 | 150 u(1.5 mL)1 per vial · over 1 mL | 75 u(0.75 mL)4 per vial | 37.5 u(0.38 mL)8 per vial |
| 10 mgWeeks 13–16 | 200 u(2 mL)1 per vial · over 1 mL | 100 u(1 mL)3 per vial | 50 u(0.5 mL)6 per vial |
| 12.5 mgWeeks 17–20 | 250 u(2.5 mL)<1 per vial · over 1 mL | 125 u(1.25 mL)2 per vial · over 1 mL | 62.5 u(0.63 mL)4 per vial |
| 15 mgWeek 21 on | 300 u(3 mL)<1 per vial · over 1 mL | 150 u(1.5 mL)2 per vial · over 1 mL | 75 u(0.75 mL)4 per vial |
Swipe the table to see every vial →
Educational reference only — not a dose recommendation. Units assume a U-100 insulin syringe (100 units = 1 mL on U-100); “per vial” is how many of that dose the vial holds, before the small dead-space loss on each draw. Confirm against your own vial, diluent, and clinician or pharmacy instructions.
- Starting dose
- 2.5 mg weekly
- Step size
- +2.5 mg after 4+ weeks
- Maximum
- 15 mg weekly
- Last reviewed
How to read the tirzepatide dosage chart
Each row is one step of the label's titration, and each column is a common compounded vial set-up. The cell shows the units to draw on a U-100 insulin syringe, the same dose in mL, and how many of those doses the vial holds. Pens like Zepbound and Mounjaro are prefilled at each step; with a vial you convert the same milligram dose into units yourself, which is where most errors happen.
The week numbers are the earliest a step can start. The label says to increase only after at least 4 weeks on the current dose, and the recommended maintenance doses for weight management are 5, 10 or 15 mg, so a schedule that stays at 5 mg or 10 mg is still on-label. Your prescriber decides the steps; the chart only converts them.
- 10 mg + 2 mL = 5 mg/mL → 2.5 mg = 0.5 mL = 50 units
- 30 mg + 3 mL = 10 mg/mL → 2.5 mg = 0.25 mL = 25 units
- 60 mg + 3 mL = 20 mg/mL → 2.5 mg = 0.125 mL = 12.5 units
See also: Tirzepatide dosage calculator
How long a tirzepatide vial lasts at each step
Because the dose climbs every few weeks, the same vial lasts a different number of weeks at each step. A 10 mg vial holds four 2.5 mg doses — exactly the first month — but only two 5 mg doses. A 60 mg vial holds twenty-four 2.5 mg doses, which is more than most beyond-use dates allow, so a large vial can expire before it is used up at a low dose.
At the higher steps a weak vial stops fitting in one syringe: from a 10 mg vial in 2 mL, 7.5 mg is 1.5 mL (150 units). When a cell says "over 1 mL", either use a stronger vial or less water, or split the dose across two draws, and recalculate.
- 10 mg vial: 4 doses at 2.5 mg, 2 at 5 mg, 1 at 7.5 mg
- 30 mg vial: 12 doses at 2.5 mg, 6 at 5 mg, 2 at 15 mg
- 60 mg vial: 24 doses at 2.5 mg, 6 at 10 mg, 4 at 15 mg
Compounded tirzepatide vs Mounjaro and Zepbound pens
Mounjaro (type 2 diabetes) and Zepbound (weight management) use the same tirzepatide dose ladder and are supplied as single-dose pens, so nothing is measured. Compounded tirzepatide comes as a vial you reconstitute, so the dose has to be converted from mg to mL to units every time the step changes.
If you move from a pen to a vial, keep the same milligram dose and convert it for your vial — never carry over a number of units or clicks from a different product.
See also: Mounjaro dosing · Zepbound dosing · Retatrutide vs tirzepatide
Smaller steps and microdosing
Some prescribers use smaller increments than the label's 2.5 mg, or hold a low dose for longer, to manage side effects — often called microdosing. The label does not describe these schedules, so this chart does not include them. Whatever dose you have been given, enter it in the calculator above to get the units for your own vial.
If a tirzepatide dose is missed
The label says to take a missed dose as soon as possible within 4 days (96 hours) of the scheduled day; after that, skip it and take the next dose on the usual day. If you change your injection day, keep at least 3 days (72 hours) between doses. The units for the dose do not change, only the timing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tirzepatide dosing schedule?
How many units is 2.5 mg of tirzepatide?
How many units is 5 mg of tirzepatide?
Do I have to increase the tirzepatide dose every 4 weeks?
What is the maximum dose of tirzepatide?
Primary sources
The schedules on this page come from these documents. PepSync converts them into units; it does not recommend a dose.