Mounjaro dosages

Once you get started on Mounjaro treatment, you’ll have the option to slowly increase your dosage. This will let you have the most effective treatment while giving your body time to adjust to higher doses of your medication. This guide will walk you through the standard dose schedule and common questions about the doses of Mounjaro.

Each Mounjaro dose contains the active ingredient tirzepatide. There are 6 Mounjaro doses available:

• 2.5 mg
• 5 mg
• 7.5 mg
• 10 mg
• 12.5 mg
• 15 mg

The Mounjaro dosing schedule is as follows:

What's the Mounjaro starting dose for weight loss?

For most people, the starting dose of Mounjaro is 2.5mg weekly. This dose is used to start people off as it has a lower risk of side effects. You would then increase your dose from here if you want. This dose is used for people starting Mounjaro as their first weight loss injection treatment or if they have used Mounjaro before but have stopped taking it for 2 or more weeks.

The only time you would start on a dose higher than 2.5mg is if you are switching from another weight loss injection. If you’re already using a weight loss injection you may be able to start on 5mg to 7.5mg, depending on your current dose and if you’ve had any side effects. For more information, see our guide on switching from Wegovy to Mounjaro.

What's the maximum dose of Mounjaro?

15mg is the maximum weekly dose of Mounjaro. This is the highest amount of Mounjaro you can safely take each week. Taking more than 15mg a week can be dangerous and increase your risk of side effects, especially serious ones. You should never take more Mounjaro than you’ve been prescribed, even if you’re struggling to lose weight.

If you’ve been using Mounjaro 15mg and you’ve reached a weight loss plateau, this means you may be finding it hard to lose any more weight, there are other options. You can either rethink what you’re eating on Mounjaro or tweak your exercise plan and see if there is more you can do to lose weight that way. You could also consider switching to Wegovy, an alternative to Mounjaro.

What's a maintenance dose?

A maintenance dose is any dose you choose to stay on long-term to help you support weight loss. Although there are official maintenance doses specified by the manufacturer, you can choose any dose for your maintenance dose, as long as a doctor approves. The official Mounjaro maintenance doses are:

• 5mg
• 10mg
• 15mg

There’s no need to pick the highest possible maintenance dose. If you’re happy with your results, you can choose to stay on a lower dose long term. You may also decide to choose a lower maintenance dose if you’ve had side effects on higher doses that are difficult to manage.

When to increase Mounjaro dose for weight loss?

You would normally increase your dose every 4 weeks. That means after 4 doses of your current dose, you can then move up to the next highest dose if there is one and if you want to. It’s a good idea to request your next dose after 2 weeks on your current dose, so that it arrives in time for you to take after you finish your current pen.

How to increase Mounjaro dose?

To increase your dose, all you have to do is request the next dose and take it right after you finish your current dose, after at least 4 weeks. To request your next dose:

1. Request the next highest dose 2 weeks before you finish your current pen
2. Make it clear what your current dose is when you request your next dose
3. Once your request is approved and have your next dose ready, wait until you finished 4 weeks on your current dose
4. Take your new higher dose on the same day you would normally take your next dose

How long do you stay on each Mounjaro dose?

You have to stay on each dose for at least 4 weeks. However, you can stay longer on a dose before moving up, or choose not to move up at all.

You can stay on any dose for as long as you feel comfortable, if a doctor continues to approve treatment for you. Increasing your dose before you’ve spent 4 weeks on your current dose could increase your chance of getting side effects.

The 4-week period is there to give your body time to adjust.

Can I stay on the same dose for longer?

Yes, you can stay on the same dose without moving up as long as your doctor continues to approve treatment for you. Higher doses can be more effective but they also come with a higher risk of side effects and they cost more. Many people choose to stay on lower doses, especially once they’ve reached their goal weight and they’re looking to maintain their current weight.

Mounjaro dosage chart

Our Mounjaro dosage chart explains when to increase your dose, but always follow your doctor’s instructions:

Mounjaro follows a dosing schedule to give your body time to adjust to the new medication. Increasing the dose too quickly, or starting at a higher dose, could increase your risk of side effects or serious illness. Mounjaro has been studied by doctors and the Mounjaro dosing schedule was created to be the safest and most effective way of taking Mounjaro. Other weight loss injections, such as Wegovy, also follow their own dosing schedule.

Wegovy works similarly to Mounjaro, is taken once weekly, and contains the active ingredient semaglutide. This is also the active ingredient in Ozempic, a type 2 diabetes treatment. The Wegovy dosing schedule is similar to Mounjaro’s as you increase your dose every 4 weeks, but there’s only one maintenance dose: 2.4 mg. You can find out more about the similarities and differences between Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Ozempic in our comparison guide.

According to a clinical study, the most effective Mounjaro dosage for weight loss is 15 mg, although lower doses are still effective. After 72 weeks of treatment, patients lost on average:

• 22.5% of their starting body weight while taking the 15 mg maximum maintenance dose
• 21.4% of their starting body weight while taking the 10 mg maintenance dose
• 16% of their starting body weight while taking the 5 mg maintenance dose

Mounjaro works best when following a diet and exercise plan. If you get Mounjaro prescribed from Asda Online Doctor, we’ll provide you with a weight loss support pack so you can get the most from your treatment.

If you forget a Mounjaro dose and it’s been:

• 4 days or less since you should have taken it: Inject it as soon as you remember, take your next dose as usual on your scheduled day.
• more than 4 days since you should have taken it: Skip your missed dose, take your next dose as usual on your scheduled day.

Can I lower the dose of Mounjaro?

Yes, it’s possible to lower your Mounjaro dose. There are a few reasons you may want to do this, we discuss these more here and what to do in each case.

Lowering your dose because of side effects:

If you have increased your Mounjaro dose and have severe or ongoing side effects, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. They may suggest remaining on a lower dose either temporarily for the next 4 weeks, or longer, until you feel ready to try and increase your dose again (though you do not have to).

It’s normal to get side effects, like feeling or being sick, bloating, or constipation, when you increase your Mounjaro dose. These effects are usually mild and tend to go away on their own as your body gets used to the medication. You may be able to manage them yourself before lowering your dose by:

• eating smaller, more frequent meals
• prioritising plain, bland foods, like crackers or toast
• avoiding spicy, greasy, or fatty foods
• staying hydrated by taking frequent small sips of water or clear fluids
• only eating until you feel full

Lowering your dose for maintenance:

If you’ve lost the weight you wanted to but still want support with maintaining your weight, you can request to stay on a Mounjaro maintenance dose with Asda Online Doctor. At this point, a lower dose may be better so you do not keep losing weight.

Let your doctor know you want to lower your dose for maintenance and they can suggest a dose for you to try. This will be reviewed regularly to make sure it remains a safe and effective option long-term and is not causing further weight loss.

Lowering your dose to stop treatment:

If you want to stop taking Mounjaro, you do not have to lower your dose. You can either stop completely, or you may choose to go on a maintenance dose until you’re ready to stop Mounjaro. You may be able to slowly decrease your dose if that’s how you would prefer to stop taking Mounjaro, but speak to your doctor to see if this is available.