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Semaglutide dosage: chart, label schedule and vial math
Semaglutide for weight management is injected under the skin once a week. The Wegovy label starts at 0.25 mg and steps up every 4 weeks through 0.5 mg, 1 mg and 1.7 mg to 2.4 mg. The US label now allows up to 7.2 mg a week. Canada's stops at 2.4 mg.
Legal status
US Approved, prescription
Canada Authorized, prescription
Checked 10 Oct 2026What is Semaglutide?Semaglutide dosage chart
Label schedulePick your vial size. Each row shows the dose in milligrams or micrograms, the volume to draw and the mark on a U-100 syringe.
| When | Dose | Volume | Syringe units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 4 | 0.25 mg | 0.10 mL | 10 units |
| Weeks 5 to 8 | 0.5 mg | 0.20 mL | 20 units |
| Weeks 9 to 12 | 1 mg | 0.40 mL | 40 units |
| Weeks 13 to 16 | 1.7 mg | 0.68 mL | 68 units |
| Week 17 on | 2.4 mg | 0.96 mL | 96 units |
Source Schedule from the FDA label. The US label also allows up to 7.2 mg a week after 4 weeks on 2.4 mg. Vial math is arithmetic.
Which syringe fits each dose
For the 5 mg vial at 2.5 mg/mL.
| Dose | Volume | Units | 0.3 mL syringe | 0.5 mL syringe | 1 mL syringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 mg | 0.10 mL | 10 units | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 0.5 mg | 0.20 mL | 20 units | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 1 mg | 0.40 mL | 40 units | No | Yes | Yes |
| 1.7 mg | 0.68 mL | 68 units | No | No | Yes |
| 2.4 mg | 0.96 mL | 96 units | No | No | Yes |
How long a vial lasts
Whole doses in one vial. The row for the size picked above is marked.
| Vial | 0.25 mg | 0.5 mg | 1 mg | 1.7 mg | 2.4 mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mg vial | 8 doses | 4 doses | 2 doses | 1 dose | Not enough |
| 5 mg vial | 20 doses | 10 doses | 5 doses | 2 doses | 2 doses |
How to mix a Semaglutide vial
These steps are for the 5 mg vial picked in the chart. Change the size there and the amounts here change with it.
- Wash your hands. Wipe the stopper of the peptide vial and the water vial with an alcohol swab.
- Draw 2 mL of bacteriostatic water into a syringe.
- Push the needle through the stopper of the peptide vial and let the water run slowly down the glass, not straight onto the powder.
- Swirl the vial gently until the powder is gone. Do not shake it.
- Write the date and 2.5 mg/mL on the vial, then put it in the fridge.
| Vial | Bacteriostatic water | Concentration |
|---|---|---|
| 2 mg vial | 1 mL | 2 mg/mL |
| 5 mg vial | 2 mL | 2.5 mg/mL |
What Semaglutide is
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. This page covers the once-weekly injection under the skin. Daily tablets also exist and follow a different milligram scale. [1]
Other names: Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus.
How it has been given to people: subcutaneous injection, once weekly (oral tablets exist; the dose table here is for the injection only).
What to know before reading a dose
- The US Wegovy label now allows up to 7.2 mg once weekly for adult weight reduction. Pages that give 2.4 mg as the highest label dose are out of date for the US.
- Canada differs: the Wegovy monograph dated 2 October 2026 has no 7.2 mg dose, and its maintenance dose is 2.4 mg once weekly.
- Each product has its own dose scale. Ozempic injection stops at 2 mg weekly, Wegovy injection is 2.4 mg weekly (7.2 mg US maximum), and the tablets are taken daily in different milligram amounts.
- The US labels carry a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents.
- FDA says salt forms such as semaglutide sodium and semaglutide acetate are different active ingredients from the one in the approved drugs, and that it had received 990 adverse event reports tied to compounded semaglutide as of May 31, 2026 [13].
- Generic semaglutide injection is on the market in Canada. In the US, Drugs@FDA shows one generic application with a tentative approval only.
Doses on record for Semaglutide
Every dose below was given in a human study or printed on an approved label, and each links to its source. Doses set by body weight are left that way.
| From | Where it was used | Dose | How often | For how long | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Label | Wegovy (US), starting dose, weeks 1 to 4 | 0.25 mg | once weekly | 4 weeks | [2] |
| Label | Wegovy (US), escalation, weeks 5 to 8 | 0.5 mg | once weekly | 4 weeks | [2] |
| Label | Wegovy (US), escalation, weeks 9 to 12 | 1 mg | once weekly | 4 weeks | [2] |
| Label | Wegovy (US), escalation, weeks 13 to 16; also an allowed maintenance dose | 1.7 mg | once weekly | 4 weeks as a step, or ongoing as maintenance | [2] |
| Label | Wegovy (US), recommended maintenance dose from week 17 | 2.4 mg | once weekly | ongoing | [2] |
| Label | Wegovy (US), maximum for adult weight reduction, only after at least 4 weeks on 2.4 mg | 7.2 mg | once weekly | ongoing | [2] |
| Label | Ozempic injection (US), starting dose | 0.25 mg | once weekly | 4 weeks | [1] |
| Label | Ozempic injection (US), step after 4 weeks; lowest maintenance dose | 0.5 mg | once weekly | at least 4 weeks before any further step | [1] |
| Label | Ozempic injection (US), maintenance dose | 1 mg | once weekly | ongoing | [1] |
| Label | Ozempic injection (US), maintenance dose and maximum | 2 mg | once weekly | ongoing | [1] |
| Human study | Phase 3 STEP 1 | 2.4 mg | once weekly | 68 weeks | [4] |
| Human study | SELECT cardiovascular outcomes trial | 2.4 mg | once weekly | mean exposure 34.2 months | [5] |
| Human study | SUSTAIN-6 cardiovascular outcomes trial | 0.5 mg | once weekly | 104 weeks | [6] |
| Human study | SUSTAIN-6 cardiovascular outcomes trial | 1.0 mg | once weekly | 104 weeks | [6] |
| Human study | STEP UP (NCT05646706), described on the US Wegovy label as Study 8; published as S7 | 7.2 mg | once weekly | 72 weeks: 20 weeks of escalation, then 52 weeks on the maintenance dose | [2] |
| Human study | Phase 3b SURMOUNT-5, head to head with tirzepatide, maximum tolerated dose of 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg | 2.4 mg | once weekly | 72 weeks | [8] |
What the evidence shows
Each finding is tagged by the kind of study it comes from. Human trials are listed first.
Randomized human trial
In adults with overweight or obesity and no diabetes, mean weight change at 68 weeks was -14.9% on 2.4 mg weekly against -2.4% on placebo. [4]
Randomized human trial
In people with cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity but no diabetes, a first major cardiovascular event occurred in 6.5% on 2.4 mg weekly and 8.0% on placebo. [5]
Randomized human trial
In type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular death, heart attack or stroke occurred in 6.6% on semaglutide 0.5 mg or 1.0 mg and 8.9% on placebo over 104 weeks. [6]
Randomized human trial
US label, Study 8 (72 weeks, adults with obesity): mean weight change was -18.8% on 7.2 mg, -15.5% on 2.4 mg and -3.9% on placebo. The quoted table row lists placebo, 2.4 mg and 7.2 mg in that order. [2]
Randomized human trial
Head to head in adults with obesity and no type 2 diabetes, weight fell 13.7% on semaglutide (1.7 mg or 2.4 mg) and 20.2% on tirzepatide at 72 weeks. [8]
Side effects and warnings
Reported in human studies or on a label:
- Wegovy label, reactions in 5% or more: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, abnormal skin sensations, headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, bloating, belching, low blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, gas, gastroenteritis, reflux and hair loss. [2]
- Ozempic label, reactions in 5% or more: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and constipation. [1]
- In STEP 1 nausea and diarrhea were the most common events, usually short-lived and mild to moderate. [4]
- In SELECT, 16.6% on semaglutide stopped the trial product for good because of adverse events, against 8.2% on placebo. [5]
- In SUSTAIN-6, diabetic retinopathy complications were more frequent on semaglutide than on placebo. [6]
- At 7.2 mg (US label, two 72-week trials) the rates were: nausea 39%, vomiting 22% and abnormal skin sensations (dysesthesia) 22%, against 35%, 16% and 6% on 2.4 mg and 13%, 6% and 0% on placebo. [2]
- In those 7.2 mg trials, stomach and bowel reactions led to stopping treatment in 3% on 7.2 mg, 3% on 2.4 mg and 0.3% on placebo. [2]
From the label
- Boxed warning: semaglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents. [2]
- Whether it causes these tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma, in people is not known. [2]
- Not for anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). The Ozempic label says the same. [2]
- Not for anyone who has had a serious hypersensitivity reaction to semaglutide or to an ingredient in the product. [2]
- Not recommended together with another semaglutide product or any other GLP-1 receptor agonist. [2]
- The Wegovy label says to stop at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy. [2]
- It slows stomach emptying, which can change how other medicines taken by mouth are absorbed. [2]
- With insulin or a sulfonylurea the risk of low blood sugar goes up. [2]
- Wegovy injection, one missed dose: take it as soon as possible if the next scheduled dose is more than 2 days away; otherwise skip it and carry on with the usual day. [2]
- Wegovy injection, 2 or more doses missed in a row: the label says to restart escalation at a lower dose. [2]
- Ozempic injection, missed dose: take it within 5 days; after that, skip it and take the next dose on the usual day. [1]
Storage
Wegovy injection (US): refrigerate single-dose pens and syringes at 2 to 8 C (36 to 46 F). Do not freeze, and do not use it if it has been frozen. Before the cap is removed a pen can be kept at 8 to 30 C (46 to 86 F) for up to 28 days. Protect from light. [2]
Semaglutide dosage questions
How many units is 0.5 mg of Semaglutide from a 5 mg vial?
Mixed with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water, a 5 mg vial is 2.5 mg/mL. 0.5 mg is 0.20 mL, which is 20 units on a U-100 syringe.
How much water goes in a 5 mg Semaglutide vial?
2 mL gives 2.5 mg/mL. At that strength the doses in the chart sit at 10, 20, 40, 68, 96 units on a U-100 syringe.
How many doses are in a 5 mg vial?
Whole doses in one vial: 20 at 0.25 mg, 10 at 0.5 mg, 5 at 1 mg, 2 at 1.7 mg, 2 at 2.4 mg.
Is Semaglutide approved in the US?
FDA approved: Ozempic injection (5 December 2017), Rybelsus tablets (20 September 2019), Wegovy injection (4 June 2021) and Wegovy tablets (22 December 2025).
Is Semaglutide authorized in Canada?
Authorized by Health Canada. Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy are listed as marketed, and so are generic semaglutide injections from two companies.
What is the half-life of Semaglutide?
About 1 week.
What does the Ozempic (injection) label say about dose?
0.25 mg once weekly for 4 weeks, then 0.5 mg. May go to 1 mg after at least 4 weeks on 0.5 mg, and to 2 mg after at least 4 weeks on 1 mg. Maximum 2 mg once weekly.
Sources
Each one was opened on 10 Oct 2026 and matched to the line it supports.
- Ozempic (semaglutide) injection, US prescribing information, Novo Nordisk, label version 20 2026-06-01. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov.
- Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets, US prescribing information, Novo Nordisk, label version 19 2026-06-18. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov.
- Rybelsus and Ozempic (oral semaglutide) tablets, US prescribing information, Novo Nordisk, label version 14 2026-01-30. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov.
- Wilding JPH et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med 2021. PubMed 33567185. Trial NCT03548935.
- Lincoff AM et al. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes. N Engl J Med 2023. PubMed 37952131. Trial NCT03574597.
- Marso SP et al. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med 2016. PubMed 27633186. Trial NCT01720446.
- Wharton S et al. Once-weekly semaglutide 7.2 mg in adults with obesity (STEP UP): a randomised, controlled, phase 3b trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2025. PubMed 40961952. Trial NCT05646706.
- Aronne LJ et al. Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med 2025. PubMed 40353578. Trial NCT05822830.
- Drugs@FDA via openFDA: applications with active ingredient semaglutide api.fda.gov.
- Health Canada Drug Product Database: products with active ingredient semaglutide, with status lookups health-products.canada.ca.
- Wegovy (semaglutide injection) Canadian product monograph, Novo Nordisk Canada Inc., date of authorization 2026-10-02 2026-10-02. pdf.hres.ca.
- Ozempic (semaglutide injection) Canadian product monograph, Novo Nordisk Canada Inc., date of authorization 2026-07-13 2026-07-13. pdf.hres.ca.
- FDA's Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss (content current as of 10/01/2026) fda.gov.
Looked for and not found
- Canadian product monographs were opened for the indications and the dose schedule only. Warnings, side effects, missed-dose and storage text in this file come from the US labels.
- Which label supplement added the 7.2 mg dose, and on what date. The US label's change list shows Dosage and Administration revisions dated 08/2025, 12/2025 and 03/2026 without saying what each changed.
- The STEP UP paper [7] is listed but not quoted, because its abstract prints decimals with a raised dot. The 7.2 mg figures here are the US label's own.
Change log
10 Oct 2026Page published. 13 sources checked. Vial math added for the 2 and 5 mg vials.
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