Mounjaro is for type 2 diabetesMounjaro is tirzepatide approved for blood-sugar control in type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 and older, and for lowering the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk.[1][4] Doses below are quoted from the FDA label; the dose you take is set by your prescriber.
Mounjaro dosage chart for type 2 diabetes
Mounjaro has six dose levels, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 mg, all injected once a week.[1] The bars show the earliest week each level can start if every step is taken.
- 2.5 mgWeeks 1–4, then may continue (Aug 2026 label)
- 5 mgWeek 5: the first step up
- 7.5 mgWeek 9 at the earliest, only if needed
- 10 mgWeek 13 at the earliest · children's maximum
- 12.5 mgWeek 17 at the earliest, only if needed
- 15 mgWeek 21 at the earliest · adult maximum
| Dose level | Earliest start | Adults | Children 10–17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 mg | Week 1 | Yes | Yes |
| 5 mg | Week 5 | Yes | Yes |
| 7.5 mg | Week 9 | Yes | Yes |
| 10 mg | Week 13 | Yes | Yes |
| 12.5 mg | Week 17 | Yes | No (above the 10 mg maximum) |
| 15 mg | Week 21 | Yes | No (above the 10 mg maximum) |
Mounjaro dosage schedule: when the dose goes up
After the first 4 weeks the label moves everyone from 2.5 mg to 5 mg; after that, the dose goes up only “if additional glycemic control is needed,” by 2.5 mg, after at least 4 weeks on the current dose.[1] So the Mounjaro schedule is open-ended: the label has no fixed list of maintenance doses, and a level is kept as long as it controls blood sugar.
- 2.5 mg can now continue. An August 27, 2026 label change says the 2.5 mg dose can be used for ongoing glycemic control. Earlier versions called it a starting dose only.[2]
- Children have a lower ceiling. The pediatric indication (from December 2025) caps the dose at 10 mg weekly.[3][1]
- The missed-dose rule is the same as for Zepbound: up to 4 days late, and doses at least 3 days apart. See the tirzepatide missed dose page.[1]
Zepbound uses the same strengths but a different rule for moving up and a fixed list of maintenance doses; compare them on the tirzepatide dosage chart.
Mounjaro dosage chart in mL and units
Every Mounjaro dose is a fixed volume: 0.5 mL from a single-dose pen or vial, and 0.6 mL from a multi-dose vial or KwikPen.[1] The label measures vial doses in mL with “a 1 mL syringe capable of measuring a 0.5 mL or 0.6 mL dose”; on a U-100 insulin syringe, where 100 units = 1 mL, those volumes read 50 and 60 units.[1][7]
| Presentation | Doses per unit | mL per dose | U-100 reading | Concentration range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-dose pen | 1 | 0.5 | Not measured | 5–30 mg/mL |
| Single-dose vial (1-pack) | 1 | 0.5 | 50 units | 5–30 mg/mL |
| Multi-dose vial | 4 | 0.6 | 60 units | 4.17–25 mg/mL |
| KwikPen | 4 | 0.6 | Not measured (dial) | 4.17–25 mg/mL |
Because the volume is fixed, the reading is the same at every dose level; only the concentration changes. For doses from other solutions, use the tirzepatide dosage calculator.
What each Mounjaro dose did in trials
In SURPASS-1, 478 adults using diet and exercise alone took Mounjaro 5, 10 or 15 mg or placebo for 40 weeks; HbA1c fell by 1.8, 1.7 and 1.7 points versus 0.1 on placebo.[1]
| Trial | Weeks | 5 mg | 10 mg | 15 mg | Comparator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SURPASS-1, adults, no other diabetes drug | 40 | −1.8 | −1.7 | −1.7 | Placebo −0.1 |
| SURPASS-2, adults on metformin | 40 | −2.01 | −2.24 | −2.30 | Semaglutide 1 mg −1.86 |
| SURPASS-PEDS, ages 10–17 | 30 | −1.9 | −2.2 | — | Placebo −0.2 |
SURPASS-1 and SURPASS-PEDS figures are from the Mounjaro label; SURPASS-2 HbA1c figures are from the NEJM paper.[1][5] In SURPASS-2, body weight fell by 7.6, 9.3 and 11.2 kg on 5, 10 and 15 mg versus 5.7 kg on semaglutide.[1]
Side effects by Mounjaro dose
Nausea rose with dose in the label's diabetes trials: 12% on 5 mg, 15% on 10 mg and 18% on 15 mg, against 4% on placebo.[1]
- 18%nausea on 15 mg (placebo 4%)
- 17%diarrhea on 15 mg (placebo 9%)
- 6.6%stopped for GI effects on 15 mg (placebo 0.4%)
Taken with insulin or a sulfonylurea, Mounjaro raises the risk of low blood sugar, and the label says a lower dose of those medicines may be needed.[1] The full tables are on Zepbound side effects, which also covers the Mounjaro data.
Mounjaro dosage for weight loss
Mounjaro is not FDA-approved for weight management; the tirzepatide product approved for weight is Zepbound, whose label lists 5, 10 or 15 mg as maintenance doses.[1][6] The two contain the same drug at the same strengths. Weight change at each dose in the weight trials is on tirzepatide dosage for weight loss.
Related
- Zepbound vs MounjaroSame molecule, two labels
- Units for each doseEvery vial type, 2.5 to 15 mg
- Vial guideSingle-dose and multi-dose vials
Frequently asked questions
What is the Mounjaro dosage schedule?
2.5 mg once weekly to start, 5 mg after 4 weeks, then increases of 2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks on each dose if more glucose control is needed, up to 15 mg (10 mg for children).[1]
What are the Mounjaro dosage levels?
2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 mg, each given once a week.[1]
What is the Mounjaro dosage chart in units?
On a U-100 syringe, a single-dose vial dose is 50 units (0.5 mL) and a multi-dose vial dose is 60 units (0.6 mL), at every dose level. Pens are not measured in units.[1]
Sources
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection: prescribing information and Instructions for Use
- Mounjaro supplement approval letter S-044/S-045 (cardiovascular indication; 2.5 mg for ongoing glycemic control)
- Drugs@FDA: NDA 215866 (Mounjaro) approval history and supplement letters
- FDA approves Lilly's Mounjaro to reduce cardiovascular risk in adults with type 2 diabetes
- Frías JP et al. Tirzepatide versus semaglutide once weekly in patients with type 2 diabetes (SURPASS-2)
- Zepbound (tirzepatide) injection: prescribing information, Medication Guide and Instructions for Use
- FDA alerts health care providers, compounders and patients of dosing errors associated with compounded injectable semaglutide products