When starting Mounjaro, it’s important to give your body time to adjust. Gradually increasing your dose helps reduce side effects and ensures your body can respond effectively to the medication. Mounjaro works by regulating both insulin response and appetite—so building up slowly gives your system the best chance to adapt.
It’s normal to increase your dosage every 4 weeks, as long as the medication is well tolerated. Below you’ll find the typical build-up schedule, based on a 4-week cycle per step:
Mounjaro dosage schedule
Week 1–4: 2.5 mg once a week
This is the starting dose, meant to introduce your body to Mounjaro gently. The focus during this phase is on building tolerance to the medication and minimizing potential side effects like nausea or stomach upset. Some people may already begin to notice subtle changes in appetite or weight.
Goal: Let your body get used to the medication before moving to higher, more effective doses.
Week 5–8: 5 mg once a week
After the initial adjustment phase, you’ll step up to 5 mg per week. This is the first dose designed to start working on appetite regulation and metabolic improvement. Most people begin to notice a reduction in cravings and smaller portion sizes during this phase.
Goal: Start engaging the full effects of Mounjaro on hunger, satiety, and gradual weight loss.
Week 9–12: 7.5 mg once a week
If you’ve tolerated 5 mg well and are ready to continue progressing, the dose is increased to 7.5 mg. By this stage, you may be seeing more noticeable weight loss and a stronger feeling of control around food.
Goal: Boost appetite suppression and help accelerate fat loss, while still monitoring for tolerability.
Week 13–16: 10 mg once a week
10 mg is one of the most commonly sustained doses for long-term success. It’s designed to offer a strong therapeutic effect without significantly increasing the risk of side effects.
Goal: Continue steady weight loss progress and help stabilize blood sugar levels if relevant.
Optional higher doses:
If your results begin to plateau or further support is needed, and if you tolerate the medication well, you may be advised to continue increasing the dose every 4 weeks:
Week 17–20: 12.5 mg once a week
Build on your current results and push through potential plateaus.Week 21+: 15 mg once a week (maximum dose)
For some people, the maximum dose provides the strongest appetite control and weight loss support.
Goal: Reach maximum clinical effectiveness, but only if needed and if lower doses are not sufficient.
Consultation and next steps
Before adjusting your dosage, always consult with the Vi-Lifestyle medical team. We’ll review your progress, discuss any side effects, and guide you to the safest and most effective dosage for your body.
We’ll also keep you updated on the cost differences between dosages, so you can make a fully informed choice about your treatment path.