There are a few different doses of Mounjaro available: in this article, we’ll explain why and how they are used.
What is a dose of Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is a weight loss injection that contains the drug tirzepatide, which mimics both GLP-1 and GIP – two hormones that are released when we eat to control the body’s response to eating.
Tirzepatide can support weight loss by increasing feelings of fullness, reducing hunger and cravings, and helping to control blood sugars.
Mounjaro is injected once per week; the amount of tirzepatide in that injection is the weekly dose.
Mounjaro injections are available in doses of 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg and 15 mg of tirzepatide.
Why are there different doses of Mounjaro, and how are they used?
There are six different doses of Mounjaro available, allowing the weekly dose of tirzepatide to be gradually increased, from the lowest dose of 2.5 mg to the maintenance dose. The maintenance dose is the long-term dose used by a person that is well-tolerated and allows them to achieve their weight loss goals.
This approach of gradually increasing the dose of Mounjaro is used to allow your body to get used to small increases in medication, helping to manage any side effects of the digestive system that you might experience.
These side effects – such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea – can happen more often when the dose is increased, and then they usually settle down, before the dose is increased again.
But at Genwell, we know that not everyone will need to keep increasing the dose of their medication to achieve their goals. We follow a structured, doctor-led dosing plan that is designed to support effective, sustainable weight loss while minimising side effects, and this means we don’t always recommend dose increases every four weeks. You can see details of the Genwell dosing plan for Mounjaro here.
Although the maximum weekly dose of Mounjaro is 15 mg, at Genwell, we do not expect most people to require such a high dose to achieve their weight loss goals, as reflected in our dosing plan.
The dosing plan for a person rising to a maintenance dose of 7.5 mg looks like this:
- Weeks 1–4: 2.5 mg (starting dose)
- Weeks 5–8: 2.5 mg
- Weeks 9–12: 5 mg
- Weeks 13–16: 5 mg
- Week 17 onwards: 7.5 mg (maintenance dose)
If you are following the Genwell dosing plan, you won’t need to reassess every four weeks unless something needs to change. At the same time, your care remains flexible - your doctor can review and adjust your dose based on how you’re responding, and you can request changes whenever you need to.
How do I know which maintenance dose I need?
There are three maintenance doses of Mounjaro (5 mg, 10 mg and 15 mg) listed in the medicine information, which have all been tested in clinical studies and have been shown to support weight loss. In one clinical study that looked at all three maintenance doses, the average weight loss at 72 weeks (1 year and 5 months) was:
- For 5 mg: 16 % of bodyweight
- For 10 mg: 21.4% of bodyweight
- For 15 mg: 22.5% of bodyweight
So, on average, higher doses showed greater weight loss, but these are averages (some people lost more and some people lost less weight), and individual people will respond differently to medicines.
At Genwell, we do not focus on increasing your weekly dose to achieve the highest maintenance dose; instead, we follow our dosing plan that is designed to support effective, sustainable weight loss while minimising side effects, and adjust this plan if needed.
Some people will be able to achieve their weight loss goals while remaining on the lowest dose of 2.5 mg, others will need to increase to 5 mg or 7.5 mg. Higher levels of dosing will be less frequently prescribed, but can be discussed with your Genwell doctor.
For more details on the Genwell dosing plan, see here.
What our clinical experts say
Although clinical studies outline standard maintenance doses for Mounjaro, the right dose for you is simply the one that helps you feel in control of your appetite and move towards your goals — without unpleasant side effects. At Genwell, we decide that together, and there’s never any pressure to increase beyond what feels right for you.
Dr Caroline Butler
How long do you stay on a maintenance dose?
The maintenance dose – the dose that is well tolerated, while allowing goals to be achieved – may be used for several months or more. However, if there are any changes to weight loss progress or any unmanageable side effects, it can be changed at any time after discussion with a healthcare professional.
Mounjaro is used for both weight loss and weight maintenance, so you do not need to stop taking it when you achieve your weight loss goals.
Once you have reached your weight loss goals, you will then decide together with your healthcare professional what weight maintenance looks like for you. This may involve staying at the same dose, gradually reducing the dose slowly over time or, for some, coming off Mounjaro treatment whilst maintaining nutrition and lifestyle changes.
If you want to stop taking Mounjaro, or reduce the dose, you should speak to your healthcare professional and agree and plan to do so.
What happens if I stop taking the weekly dose?
A clinical study has shown that people who stop taking Mounjaroput around half of the weight they had lost back on again.
It is worth noting that in this study, people were taking the highest dose of Mounjaro they could tolerate for 9 months, then stopped treatment abruptly.
This would probably be different in a real-world situation where you would likely wean off treatment more slowly.
When using a GLP-1 medication like Mounjaro, it is important to take a long-term view of your weight management and your overall health and wellbeing.
Making lifestyle changes and creating healthy habits can help support a sustainable approach to weight management, as well as benefit overall health and wellbeing.
Key messages
- Mounjaro contains the GLP-1 medication, tirzepatide, and is available in a range of doses.
- The starting dose is 2.5 mg of tirzepatide, given weekly, and this can be built up gradually, if needed, to a maintenance dose for longer-term use.
- Changes to dosing should be discussed with a healthcare professional
Genwell Reflections
At Genwell, we always put the person at the centre of all treatment decisions.
We follow a structured, doctor-led dosing plan designed to support effective, sustainable weight loss while minimising side effects.
Rather than rushing dose increases, we allow more time at each stage of treatment, giving your body time to adjust, helping you feel more comfortable, and supporting steady, confident progress.
But your care still remains flexible; your doctor can review and adjust your dose based on how you’re responding, and you can request changes whenever you need to.
We will never increase medication doses when it is not needed – we encourage a healthy approach to weight management that focuses on sustainable changes for long-term benefits in health and wellbeing.