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Start journey Learn moreWhy the doses you may have read about online don't match the licensed Wegovy schedule
The biggest myth: that semaglutide comes in 5mg and 10mg strengths for weight loss
This is the misconception worth clearing up first. Wegovy (the brand of semaglutide licensed for weight management in the UK) does not come in 5mg or 10mg doses. The licensed weekly injection schedule, as set out by the MHRA and detailed in the NHS semaglutide medicines page, runs from 0.25mg up to a 2.4mg maintenance dose, with a newer 7.2mg maximum approved in April 2026 for adults with a BMI of 30 or above.
So where do the 5mg and 10mg figures come from? Mostly from two sources: compounding pharmacies (which mix unlicensed versions of semaglutide, typically as vials requiring self-mixing and self-injection) and from the diabetes medicine Ozempic, which is also semaglutide but licensed only for type 2 diabetes and supplied in 0.5mg, 1mg and 2mg doses, not 5mg or 10mg either. Neither route is appropriate for weight management through a regulated UK pharmacy.
If you have arrived here after reading about mixing semaglutide with bacteriostatic water, that process relates specifically to compounded, unlicensed preparations, and if you want to understand what 10mg semaglutide is and how it differs from licensed options, that page covers the detail. Compounded semaglutide sits outside the MHRA's approval framework for weight management and carries risks that licensed Wegovy does not: uncertain concentration, sterility concerns, and no clinical oversight of dosing. The MHRA has warned publicly about unlicensed injectable medicines sold without clinical assessment, and reports suspect products at yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk.
What a genuine semaglutide dose increase actually involves
Because the question often stems from a real underlying concern, will a higher dose work better, and is it worth it?, it helps to understand what moving up the Wegovy schedule actually means in practice.
Titration is not simply dialling up the medicine for faster results. The schedule starts low to give your body time to adjust, particularly your gut. Nausea, loose stools and indigestion are common early on, and a gradual increase gives those effects the best chance of settling before the next step. A prescriber reviews your progress, tolerability and weight trend before authorising any dose increase, which is why understanding how Wegovy doses work is more useful than comparing two arbitrary milligram numbers.
Trial evidence gives a sense of what reaching maintenance doses delivers: in the STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, participants on 2.4mg semaglutide achieved around 15% average body-weight reduction over 68 weeks alongside lifestyle changes. The jump from 1.7mg to 2.4mg is the final licensed step, and evidence suggests that reaching the maintenance dose matters for the full effect.
The pace of that journey varies. Some people stay at a lower rung longer if side effects need more time to settle. Others move through the schedule without difficulty. There is no clinical advantage to rushing. What matters is reaching and sustaining the dose your prescriber deems appropriate for you.
How 5mg and 10mg semaglutide compare with licensed Wegovy doses
| Feature | 5mg / 10mg semaglutide (compounded/unlicensed) | Licensed Wegovy (0.25mg–7.2mg) |
|---|---|---|
| MHRA approval for weight management | No | Yes |
| Available from a GPhC-registered UK pharmacy | No | Yes |
| Dose verified and titrated by a prescriber | Typically not | Yes, at every repeat |
| Clinical trial evidence (weight loss) | Not available for these specific doses | ~15% average at 2.4mg (STEP 1, NEJM); ~20.7% at 7.2mg in trials [NICE TA875] |
| Route of administration | Usually self-mixed vial injection | Pre-filled auto-injection pen |
| Storage | Varies; often requires refrigeration after mixing | Refrigerated 2–8°C; pen can be kept at room temperature for a limited period per the Patient Information Leaflet |
The pen itself is worth mentioning practically. Wegovy arrives pre-filled and pre-set, you click, inject, and the pen locks. Most people keep it in the fridge door and take it on the same day each week. No measuring, no mixing.
Which dose is right for you: a clinical decision, not a comparison chart
If you are exploring semaglutide for weight management, the relevant question is not 5mg versus 10mg. It is whether Wegovy, at any licensed dose, is clinically appropriate for you, and if so, what schedule your prescriber recommends.
The licensed eligibility threshold is a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above alongside at least one weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure or obstructive sleep apnoea. Those thresholds can sit 2.5 kg/m² lower for some ethnic backgrounds under UK clinical guidance. You can read more about semaglutide dosing in detail, but the definitive answer comes from a prescriber who reviews your health history, current medicines and goals, not from a milligram-to-milligram comparison online.
NICE recommends semaglutide for weight management with certain criteria around specialist services and a maximum duration of two years, as set out in NICE Technology Appraisal TA875. Private prescribing through a regulated clinic follows the licensed indications and the same clinical standards, without the waiting lists attached to NHS specialist routes.
At nume, a prescriber reviews your consultation before any treatment is issued, including before any dose change. Which semaglutide dose suits your situation is a clinical decision our prescribers make with you, not a number you choose from a menu. Start your free consultation to find out where you stand.
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