A tirzepatide dosage chart starts with milligrams. The FDA label for Zepbound starts at 2.5 mg once a week for 4 weeks, rises in 2.5 mg steps no sooner than every 4 weeks, and tops out at 15 mg a week. "Units" are not a dose: they are marks on a syringe, and what a unit holds depends on the concentration printed on the vial. This page shows the label's doses, how Zepbound vial labels read in mL and in syringe units, and what clinics that sell compounded tirzepatide publish about their own doses.
By Alexandru Vieru | Independently researched | Doses and vial strengths are from the Zepbound and Mounjaro prescribing information on DailyMed (both revised August 2026); FDA statements are from two fda.gov pages; clinic details are from each clinic's own page. All were read on 26 October 2026. This is general information, not medical advice. Your dose is decided by your prescriber, and the number of units you draw comes from your prescription and pharmacy label, never from a chart.
What tirzepatide doses does the FDA label set?
The Zepbound prescribing information gives one schedule for every use. In its own words, "The recommended starting dosage of ZEPBOUND for all indications is 2.5 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly for 4 weeks." After that, "The dosage may be increased in 2.5 mg increments, after at least 4 weeks on the current dose." The label says the 2.5 mg dose "is for treatment initiation and is not approved as a maintenance dosage."
| Step on the label | Weekly dose | What the label says about it |
|---|---|---|
| Start | 2.5 mg | For the first 4 weeks only; not a maintenance dose |
| First increase | 5 mg | Also a maintenance dose for weight reduction |
| Optional steps | 7.5 mg, 12.5 mg | Reached only on the way up, each after at least 4 weeks |
| Maintenance | 5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg | The three weight-reduction maintenance doses |
| Maximum | 15 mg | "The maximum dosage of ZEPBOUND for all indications is 15 mg" |
So the lowest dose of tirzepatide on the label is 2.5 mg and the highest is 15 mg, both once a week. The Mounjaro label, for type 2 diabetes, uses the same 2.5 mg start and the same 2.5 mg steps after at least 4 weeks, with 15 mg as the adult maximum.
The label also says to "consider treatment response and tolerability when selecting the maintenance dosage." In practice that means the prescriber picks the step and decides when, or whether, to move up. A chart can show the steps; it cannot tell you which one is yours. For how Zepbound's own doses relate to side effects, see our Zepbound side effects and dosage guide.
Why is compounded tirzepatide measured in units?
Brand-name Zepbound comes in pens and vials that each hold a fixed dose, so the label talks only in mg and mL. Compounded tirzepatide is usually sent in a vial that holds several weeks of medicine, and the patient draws each dose with an insulin syringe. Insulin syringes are marked in units, not in milligrams.
FDA explained the problem in a July 2024 alert on compounded GLP-1 dosing errors. It said that the instructions with a compounded drug "may instruct users to administer semaglutide injections in "units" (the volume of which may vary depending on the concentration), rather than milligrams or milliliters." It also said that "confusion between different units of measurement (e.g., milliliters, milligrams and "units") may have contributed to dosing errors." The alert describes semaglutide, but FDA's page on unapproved GLP-1 drugs (content current as of 1 October 2026) puts compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide under the same dosing concerns.
Three measures get mixed up, so it helps to keep them apart:
- Milligrams (mg) are the amount of tirzepatide. This is the dose your prescriber writes.
- Milliliters (mL) are the volume of liquid you inject.
- Units are the marks on the syringe. FDA's alert describes "a U-100 (1 milliliter) insulin syringe" and "a 5-unit (0.05 milliliter) dose", so on that syringe 100 units fill 1 mL and each unit is 0.01 mL.
Units therefore measure volume, not strength. Ten units of one vial and ten units of another can hold very different amounts of tirzepatide.
How do Zepbound vial labels read in mL and syringe units?
Zepbound and Mounjaro both have FDA-approved prescribing information for tirzepatide. Zepbound's label states every vial's strength. Its single-dose pens and vials each hold "2.5 mg/0.5 mL, 5 mg/0.5 mL, 7.5 mg/0.5 mL, 10 mg/0.5 mL, 12.5 mg/0.5 mL, or 15 mg/0.5 mL". Its multi-dose vials hold four doses of 0.6 mL each, and the concentration changes with the strength. For vials the label tells prescribers to have patients "use a syringe appropriate for dose administration (e.g., a 1 mL syringe capable of measuring a 0.5 mL or 0.6 mL dose)".
Converted to the marks on a U-100 syringe (1 mL = 100 units), the label's own volumes read like this:
| Zepbound vial on the label | Strength printed | Volume per dose (label) | Same volume on a U-100 syringe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-dose vial, any strength | 2.5 mg to 15 mg per 0.5 mL | 0.5 mL | 50 units |
| Multi-dose vial, 2.5 mg doses | 10 mg/2.4 mL (4.17 mg/mL) | 0.6 mL | 60 units |
| Multi-dose vial, 5 mg doses | 20 mg/2.4 mL (8.33 mg/mL) | 0.6 mL | 60 units |
| Multi-dose vial, 7.5 mg doses | 30 mg/2.4 mL (12.5 mg/mL) | 0.6 mL | 60 units |
| Multi-dose vial, 10 mg doses | 40 mg/2.4 mL (16.7 mg/mL) | 0.6 mL | 60 units |
| Multi-dose vial, 12.5 mg doses | 50 mg/2.4 mL (20.8 mg/mL) | 0.6 mL | 60 units |
| Multi-dose vial, 15 mg doses | 60 mg/2.4 mL (25 mg/mL) | 0.6 mL | 60 units |
This table is the clearest tirzepatide dosage chart in units that an FDA label supports, and it shows the point of the whole topic. With Zepbound's multi-dose vials the volume stays the same at every step; the vial changes. Moving from 5 mg to 10 mg means a different vial, not more units.
The label also describes Zepbound as a "clear, colorless to slightly yellow solution". It is ready to use, so a brand vial needs no mixing.
How many mg is 40 units of tirzepatide?
There is no single answer, because 40 units is a volume. On a U-100 syringe, 40 units is 0.40 mL, and the milligrams in it equal 0.40 times the mg per mL printed on the vial.
The Zepbound labels show how wide that range is. Each row below is one Zepbound multi-dose vial from the label, at the concentration that vial states.
Read this before the table. Compounded tirzepatide vials do not share these concentrations: each pharmacy sets its own, and two vials from different pharmacies can hold different amounts of tirzepatide in the same number of units. Follow your own vial label and your prescriber. This table is not a way to dose any vial, including these Zepbound vials, which the label sets at 0.6 mL a dose; it only shows how much the same syringe marks can differ from one stated concentration to another.
| Vial and the concentration it applies to | 10 units (0.10 mL) holds | 40 units (0.40 mL) holds |
|---|---|---|
| Zepbound multi-dose vial, 2.5 mg doses: 4.17 mg/mL | about 0.42 mg | about 1.67 mg |
| Zepbound multi-dose vial, 5 mg doses: 8.33 mg/mL | about 0.83 mg | about 3.33 mg |
| Zepbound multi-dose vial, 7.5 mg doses: 12.5 mg/mL | 1.25 mg | 5 mg |
| Zepbound multi-dose vial, 10 mg doses: 16.7 mg/mL | about 1.67 mg | about 6.68 mg |
| Zepbound multi-dose vial, 12.5 mg doses: 20.8 mg/mL | about 2.08 mg | about 8.32 mg |
| Zepbound multi-dose vial, 15 mg doses: 25 mg/mL | 2.5 mg | 10 mg |
The same 40 units holds about six times as much tirzepatide at the top of that range as at the bottom. A compounded vial has its own concentration, set by the pharmacy that made it and printed on its label. None of the clinic pages we read on 26 October 2026 published the concentration of the tirzepatide vial it ships, which is why we do not print a units chart for any clinic. The number of units for your dose is the one on your prescription and pharmacy label.
Is there a tirzepatide dosage calculator you can trust?
We do not offer one, and FDA's reports explain why. FDA said that "Several reports describe health care providers incorrectly calculating the intended dose when converting from milligrams to units or milliliters, which resulted in patients administering five to 10 times more than the intended dose of semaglutide." Those were professionals doing the same arithmetic a calculator does. The weak point is the input: a wrong concentration, or a dose typed in mg where the tool expects units, produces a confident wrong answer.
FDA's advice runs the other way. Its page on unapproved GLP-1 drugs "encourages patients to talk with their health care provider or compounder about how to measure and administer the intended dose of compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide." In plain terms: ask the prescriber or pharmacy to tell you the dose in mg and the number of units to draw for that vial, in writing, and ask again whenever a new vial arrives.
Do compounded tirzepatide doses follow the label's steps?
Not always. Some clinics publish the weekly doses they sell, and they do not all match the label's 2.5 mg steps. Here is what each clinic's own page said on 26 October 2026:
| Clinic | Weekly doses it publishes (compounded tirzepatide injection) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mochi Health | 2.2, 4.4, 6.6, 8.8, 11.24, 13.2 and 16.6 mg; "Price varies based on the dose your provider prescribes." | joinmochi.com, compounded tirzepatide page |
| Willow | 2.125, 4.25, 6.375, 8.5, 11, 13.5 and 17 mg; "Dosing may vary slightly between partner pharmacies." | Willow help center, "How much do treatments cost?" |
| GobyMeds | Plans grouped by the highest weekly dose: 1.5 mg to 3 mg, "up to 9mg/week", and "11mg/week or higher" | gobymeds.com pricing page |
| FormBlends | Doses not listed; "it is the same at 2.5 mg or 15 mg. Your clinician sets the dose." | formblends.com pricing page |
Two things stand out. First, the steps are not the label's: Mochi and Willow publish ladders built on 2.2 mg and 2.125 mg, not 2.5 mg. Second, each publishes a top dose above the label's 15 mg maximum (16.6 mg and 17 mg). FDA's page on unapproved GLP-1 drugs says the agency "has received adverse event reports that may be related to patients prescribed compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide products in doses beyond what is in the FDA-approved drug label." It counts more than 730 reports of adverse events associated with compounded tirzepatide as of 31 May 2026, while noting that a report does not prove the drug caused the event.
None of this tells you a clinic's dose is wrong for you; that is between you and the prescriber. It does mean a compounded ladder cannot be read off the Zepbound chart above. Compounded tirzepatide is not FDA-approved, and the Zepbound label's doses and trial results belong to Zepbound.
What about a tirzepatide reconstitution chart?
Zepbound needs none: the label describes a ready-to-use solution. Reconstitution charts, which tell you how much water to add to a powder, mostly circulate with products that are not prescriptions at all. FDA has "warned companies that have illegally sold unapproved drugs containing semaglutide, tirzepatide, retatrutide, survodutide or mazdutide that are falsely labeled "for research purposes" or "not for human consumption."" It says these products "have been sold directly to consumers for human use with dosing instructions."
Whether a compounded vial from a pharmacy needs mixing is stated on that pharmacy's label and in its instructions. We found no clinic we review that publishes a mixing chart for its tirzepatide, and we do not publish one either.
What should a compounded tirzepatide vial label tell you?
FDA's page on unapproved GLP-1 drugs reports "fraudulent compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide marketed in the U.S. that contain false information on the product label", including labels naming compounding pharmacies that "do not exist." Before the first dose, check that your label shows:
- The concentration in mg per mL. Without it, units cannot be turned into milligrams at all.
- The total amount in the vial, in mg and mL.
- The dose in mg and the units to draw, matching what your prescriber told you.
- The name of the pharmacy, which you can check with your state board of pharmacy.
- A beyond-use date and storage instructions.
If any of these is missing or does not match what you were told, ask the pharmacy before injecting. Our safety checklist covers how to check a clinic and its pharmacy.
Which clinics we review send compounded tirzepatide in vials?
These clinics say on their own pages, read on 26 October 2026, that compounded tirzepatide comes as a vial:
- Zealthy: its FAQ says a three-month supply of semaglutide or tirzepatide "includes three vials, with each vial containing a one-month supply of medication", and that dosing instructions are in the member portal. FDA sent Zealthy a warning letter on 9 September 2025 over claims about compounded semaglutide; our review covers it.
- MEDGm: its compounded tirzepatide page shows a vial image with the note that it "does not reflect the actual label or size of the prescription vial."
- Pomegranate Health: its compounded tirzepatide page carries the same kind of note about "the actual prescription vial, label, or size."
Mochi Health, Willow, GobyMeds and FormBlends, in the table above, also sell compounded tirzepatide as a weekly injection. For what these plans cost at each step, including how the price changes as the dose rises, see what a year of GLP-1 treatment costs and the lowest verified prices. Every clinic we track that offers tirzepatide in any form is listed on our tirzepatide page.
Tirzepatide dosage FAQ
What is the starting dose of tirzepatide? On the Zepbound and Mounjaro labels it is 2.5 mg once a week for 4 weeks. The label calls it a starting dose only, not a maintenance dose.
What are the tirzepatide doses on the label? 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 mg once a week, moving up in 2.5 mg steps no sooner than every 4 weeks. The maintenance doses for weight reduction are 5, 10 or 15 mg.
What is the highest dose of tirzepatide? 15 mg once a week, the label's maximum for every use. Some clinics publish compounded doses above it; see the table above.
Is 2.5 mg of tirzepatide 25 units? Not as a rule. Units are volume, so the answer depends on the vial. On Zepbound's 2.5 mg multi-dose vial the label dose is 0.6 mL, which is 60 units on a U-100 syringe. For a compounded vial, the units for your dose come from your prescription and the pharmacy label.
Can I use a tirzepatide dosage calculator? FDA has reported professionals making 5 to 10 fold errors converting mg to units. Use the units your prescriber or pharmacy gives you for your specific vial.
Sources, all read 26 October 2026: the Zepbound prescribing information on DailyMed (setid 487cd7e7-434c-4925-99fa-aa80b1cc776b, revised August 2026; dosage and administration, dosage forms and strengths); the Mounjaro prescribing information on DailyMed (setid d2d7da5d-ad07-4228-955f-cf7e355c8cc0, revised August 2026); FDA, "FDA alerts health care providers, compounders and patients of dosing errors associated with compounded injectable semaglutide products" (content current as of 26 July 2024); FDA, "FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss" (content current as of 1 October 2026); the clinic pages named in each table and list. Your prescriber decides your dose. Affiliate disclosure.
