Semaglutide dosage: doses, schedule and units to mg

Units to mg: why we do not convert

Branded semaglutide pens are set in milligrams, so there are no units to count. Units come up with compounded vials drawn into an insulin syringe. A unit is a volume mark on the syringe, and how many milligrams sit in that volume depends on the vial's concentration, which differs between pharmacies and even between orders.

Whether 20, 40 or 80 units is a lot also depends on concentration. The useful question is how many mg your prescriber ordered, and whether that matches a label dose step. Compounded semaglutide is not FDA-approved, and FDA does not review it for safety, effectiveness or quality ^[1]. See compounded semaglutide for the legal status.

Label dose schedules for semaglutide

FDA-approved semaglutide schedules

Product	Start	Steps	Maintenance or max	How often
Wegovy injection (weight)	0.25 mg, weeks 1 to 4	0.5 mg weeks 5 to 8; 1 mg weeks 9 to 12; 1.7 mg weeks 13 to 16	1.7 or 2.4 mg; up to 7.2 mg for some adults	Once weekly [2]
Wegovy tablets (weight)	1.5 mg, days 1 to 30	4 mg days 31 to 60; 9 mg days 61 to 90	25 mg from day 91	Once daily [2]
Ozempic (type 2 diabetes)	0.25 mg for 4 weeks	0.5 mg, then increase after at least 4 weeks	0.5, 1 or 2 mg; max 2 mg	Once weekly [3]

Highest, lowest and starting doses

Starting dose. Both injectable brands start at 0.25 mg once a week for 4 weeks ^{[2] [3]}. The lowest Wegovy tablet is 1.5 mg daily ^[2].

Highest dose. For adult weight reduction, Wegovy can go to 7.2 mg weekly if 2.4 mg has been tolerated for at least 4 weeks and more weight loss is clinically indicated ^[2]. For heart risk reduction, the recommended Wegovy dose is 2.4 mg ^[2]. Ozempic tops out at 2 mg weekly ^[3]. There is no FDA-approved maximum for compounded semaglutide because it is not an approved drug; FDA has flagged compounded prescriptions higher than label doses ^[1].

Average or best dose. The label has no single best dose. The STEP 1 trial result of 14.9% average loss was at 2.4 mg weekly ^[4]. 1 mg is a 4-week step on the Wegovy schedule and a maintenance option for Ozempic in diabetes ^{[2] [3]}.

Maintenance doses, including 1.75 mg

Wegovy's labeled maintenance doses for adult weight reduction are 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg, with 7.2 mg as an option for some adults; teens 12 and older use 2.4 mg or 1.7 mg ^[2]. 1.75 mg is not a Wegovy label strength. If a compounded prescription lists 1.75 mg, ask your prescriber why it differs from the label step.

Why the dose goes up, and how often you take it

The label raises the dose in 4-week steps, and stomach reactions were most common during that escalation ^[2]. If a step is not tolerated, the prescriber can consider delaying the next increase by 4 weeks ^[2]. Injections are once weekly; Wegovy tablets are once daily, one tablet a day at most ^[2].

Splitting a weekly dose into two shots a week is not a label schedule. Ask your prescriber before changing timing. Microdosing is covered separately in semaglutide microdosing.

Vials, syringes and how long a vial lasts

FDA's advice for compounded multi-dose vials: discard 28 days after first use, use a new sterile needle and syringe for every dose, and do not use an injectable that arrives warm ^[1]. We do not give syringe-drawing or mixing instructions; your pharmacy and prescriber should show you. Injection sites and missed doses are in how to use semaglutide.

Questions about metabolism or estrogen levels are not addressed by the semaglutide label sections we reviewed, so we cannot answer them with a number.

What each dose costs

Wegovy pens are $349 a month self-pay for the 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg doses, $199 for the first two fills of 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg through December 31, 2026, and $399 for 7.2 mg; tablets are $149 (1.5 mg), $199 (4 mg) and $299 (9 mg and 25 mg), all checked October 17, 2026 ^[5]. Ozempic is $349 for 0.25 mg to 1 mg and $499 for 2 mg ^[6]. Full detail in semaglutide cost, and the brand schedule in Wegovy dosage and Ozempic dosage.