The tirzepatide dose chart: what the licensed UK schedule actually shows

What the official UK dose ladder looks like, and where the numbers come from

The Mounjaro SmPC (the authoritative product document held on the Electronic Medicines Compendium) specifies six strengths: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg and 15 mg. Each is a discrete pre-filled KwikPen containing four weekly doses. Treatment always begins at 2.5 mg, regardless of body weight or how urgently someone wants to see results. After four weeks, the prescriber typically moves the patient to 5 mg, and the same four-week rhythm continues through each step until the highest tolerated maintenance dose is reached.

The ceiling is 15 mg, though not everyone reaches it. Some people find 10 mg or 12.5 mg achieves the right balance of effect and tolerability, and a prescriber may recommend staying at that level rather than pushing further. The schedule exists for a reason grounded in pharmacology: tirzepatide is a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist, and slow titration reduces the burden of gastrointestinal side effects (nausea, in particular) that cluster around dose increases. If you want a detailed breakdown of how each step is structured, the tirzepatide dose page explains the full progression and the reasoning behind it.

For a printable-style overview of the same information, the Mounjaro dose chart page sets out the six steps alongside their approximate timing, which can be useful to share with a GP or refer to between consultations. The underlying data across all dose levels is drawn from the Mounjaro SmPC on the Electronic Medicines Compendium, which is always the definitive reference for storage conditions, contraindications and missed-dose guidance.

The trial evidence behind each dose level

A common misconception worth clearing up gently: the dose chart is sometimes read as a simple "higher is better" table. The SURMOUNT-1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, did show that the 15 mg group achieved the largest average weight reductions (around 20–21% over 72 weeks) but the 10 mg and 12.5 mg groups produced substantial results too. The trial enrolled 2,539 adults with obesity and no diabetes, which makes it the most relevant evidence base for the weight-management licence.

What the dose chart can't show is individual response. Some participants in SURMOUNT-1 saw comparable results at lower doses; others needed the maximum. The trial also demonstrated that people who did not tolerate a particular step could stay at the previous dose rather than discontinue entirely. That flexibility is built into the licensed schedule deliberately. If you're wondering how 10 mg specifically fits into this picture, the tirzepatide 10 mg dosage chart page looks at that step in more detail.

NICE's technology appraisal of tirzepatide (TA1026, published December 2024) reviewed the full SURMOUNT programme and concluded the evidence was strong enough to recommend it for NHS use, a threshold that requires both clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness to be demonstrated. That context matters when reading a dose chart: the numbers aren't arbitrary; they've been through one of the most rigorous review processes in UK medicine.

What changes at each dose step, and the side-effect pattern to expect

Each four-week increase carries a similar profile of adjustment. Nausea, mild indigestion and changes in appetite are most noticeable in the days immediately after moving to a new strength; for most people, these settle within a week or two as the body acclimates. Constipation, loose stools, fatigue and headache appear in clinical data and real-world use at various steps, though rarely consistently across the whole titration period.

The MHRA's standard guidance for tirzepatide, summarised on the NHS tirzepatide medicines page, notes that side effects tend to be most pronounced around dose changes rather than at steady state. That is a useful framing for the dose chart: each horizontal row isn't just a different number, it represents a distinct pharmacological adjustment period. Anyone who experiences severe or persistent stomach pain (particularly if it radiates to the back) should seek medical attention promptly, as acute pancreatitis is a known though infrequent risk with GLP-1-class medicines.

Storage stays consistent across all six strengths: refrigerated at 2–8°C. There is a limited period during which a pen can be kept at room temperature, but the exact window is specified in the patient information leaflet rather than summarised here, because quoting it out of context can mislead. The SmPC is the right place to check. If you're thinking about the cost implications of working through the full dose schedule, the Mounjaro cost page explains how private pricing is typically structured by dose.

How a prescriber uses the dose chart differently from how a patient might

A clinician reading the same six-step chart pays attention to different things. They're looking at where you currently are, what side effects you've reported since the last review, whether your weight trajectory matches expectations, and whether there are any reasons (a new medication, a planned surgical procedure, the beginning of pregnancy planning) to pause rather than advance. If you want a structured reference to bring to that conversation, our tirzepatide weekly dosage chart sets out each step in a week-by-week format that can make it easier to track where you are in the schedule. The chart is a framework; the clinical review is what animates it.

At nume, every repeat order includes a clinical review by a GPhC-registered prescriber before the next pen is dispensed. A prescriber reads your case, not a checklist. That means the decision about whether to move from, say, 7.5 mg to 10 mg is made on your actual history, not on the calendar, and our tirzepatide dosage chart gives a clear overview of each step to help you follow that journey. For a broader look at how tirzepatide fits into the weight-loss treatment landscape, the weight-loss treatment overview sets out the options available through our pharmacy. If you'd like to talk through where you sit on the dose schedule, or whether tirzepatide suits your circumstances at all, starting a free consultation is the most direct way to get a prescriber's view.