What Is the Semaglutide Dose for Weight Loss?

The maximum semaglutide dose for weight loss is 2.4 milligrams (mg) per week, available with Wegovy^®. Your healthcare provider will start you on a lower weekly dose and gradually increase it over time. 

If you’ve been hearing a lot about GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide, you’re not alone. The popularity of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic^® and Wegovy^®, has skyrocketed in recent years. 

Those considering semaglutide for weight loss may wonder about dosing and how to take it. We’re here to help.

Keep reading as we explore semaglutide doses, including information about compounded semaglutide, Ozempic, and Wegovy^®. And check out our handy semaglutide weight loss dosage chart.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in three medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Ozempic, Rybelsus^®, and Wegovy^®. The first two are approved to treat type 2 diabetes and used off-label for weight loss. 

(Off-label use means a medication is prescribed to treat something other than what it’s FDA-approved for.)

Only Wegovy^® is FDA-approved for chronic weight management. It’s intended for people who have obesity (a body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or higher) or those with overweight (a BMI of 27 or greater) with at least one weight-related condition, such as diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), or high cholesterol. 

Compounded semaglutide contains the same active ingredient as the brand-name medications (but it hasn’t been approved by the FDA). It can be helpful for people with unique needs, like sensitivities to certain ingredients.  

As a weight loss drug, semaglutide is intended to be used along with lifestyle changes like a reduced-calorie diet and regular physical activity.

The maximum semaglutide dosage for weight loss is 2.4 milligrams (mg) weekly. However, that’s not what you’ll take when you first start semaglutide. 

Semaglutide dosing follows what’s known as a dose escalation schedule. That means your healthcare provider will start you on a lower dose of semaglutide and gradually increase it to a higher dose over time. 

What’s the reason for slowly increasing weekly doses of semaglutide? It can help your body adjust to the medication while minimizing the side effects.

Once you reach a dose that works for you (you’re losing weight and tolerating the medication well) you’ll stop increasing your dose. This steady dose is known as your maintenance dose. Some people may benefit from the maximum dose of 2.4 mg weekly, but others may never need to go that high. 

The semaglutide dosage chart below shows the dosing schedule for Wegovy^® (for weight loss) and Ozempic (for type 2 diabetes).

Compounded semaglutide comes in vials rather than prefilled injection pens. This gives healthcare providers a lot more flexibility with dosing schedules as they can make small dose adjustments, if needed. 

A personalized starting dose of compounded semaglutide may be as low as 0.15 mg per week. With compounded semaglutide, you can get a dose escalation schedule designed to work for your body. 

Semaglutide for weight loss is given as a subcutaneous injection. This means a very thin needle is inserted into the layer of fatty tissue just under the skin. 

Brand-name semaglutide (Wegovy^® and Ozempic) comes in a prefilled injection pen. Wegovy^® is available in a single-use pen, whereas Ozempic is available as a multi-dose pen.  The pen is designed to deliver a specific dose of semaglutide.

Compounded semaglutide often comes in a small vial, in which case you’d measure out the dose each week using a single-use syringe.

When you’re first prescribed semaglutide for weight loss, a healthcare professional will show you how to prepare and give yourself injections. They’ll also tell you how much semaglutide to take.

There are a few areas it can be injected, including the:

• Abdomen (stomach)

• Thigh

• Upper arm

You might want to rotate injection sites with each dose. That means not using the exact same spot over and over again. Rotating injection sites helps to prevent injection site reactions, like bruising, redness, or mild pain.

Semaglutide is supposed to be taken on the same day each week. But missed doses might happen at some point during your treatment journey.

What should you do then? The answer to this question depends on how far away your next dose is.

If your next dose is still more than 48 hours away, take your missed dose as soon as you remember.

But if your next dose is less than 48 hours away, don’t take your missed dose. Instead, wait to take your next dose of semaglutide on the usual day.

As with other GLP-1 receptor agonists, the most common side effects of Wegovy^® often affect the digestive tract. These can include things like:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Constipation

• Abdominal pain

• Upset stomach

These symptoms typically resolve within a few weeks. But it’s possible to experience side effects again when you increase your semaglutide dose — as it can take some time for your body to adjust. Semaglutide side effects should abate once you’ve reached your maintenance dose.

If you’re concerned about nausea — or if it’s something you’re already dealing with — reach out to a healthcare provider. They might recommend Zofran^® (ondansetron), a prescription anti-nausea medication. 

Hims Weight Loss customers are eligible for generic Zofran — at no additional cost. When you connect with a provider on the Hers platform, they will let you know if Zofran is right for you.

It’s possible to experience significant, disruptive side effects while taking semaglutide for weight loss. Clinical trials have reported discontinuation rates (people quitting the medication) of up to eight percent due to gastrointestinal side effects.

Some research suggests that discontinuation rates for GLP-1s may be significantly higher in the real world, particularly in people with obesity.

It’s totally valid to wonder what happens next if you have significant side effects while taking semaglutide for weight loss. There are several possibilities.

• First, if you’ve reached your maintenance dose but aren’t tolerating it well, your provider might reduce your dose.

• Another option is to try a different GLP-1 receptor agonist to help with weight loss. Zepbound^® (tirzepatide) and Saxenda^® (liraglutide) are two other options FDA-approved for weight management.

• It’s also possible that GLP-1 receptor agonists may not be the optimal weight management intervention for you. Depending on your individual situation, other weight loss medications (like weight loss pills) or bariatric surgery might be worth exploring.

In any case, your healthcare provider is there to support you. They can work with you to address any questions or concerns that pop up during your weight loss journey.

Here’s what to remember about the semaglutide dose for weight loss:

• Semaglutide injections are usually prescribed on a dose escalation scheme, meaning you start low and gradually increase your dosage.

• The starting dose of Wegovy^® is typically 0.25 milligrams, and the maximum dose is 2.4 milligrams.

• Compounded semaglutide comes in vials instead of prefilled pens.

• Typically, semaglutide doses are increased every four weeks if the medication is well tolerated. 

• If you experience prolonged or significant side effects, you might benefit from a slower dose escalation, a lower maintenance dose, or another medication to support weight loss.

If you’re interested in weight loss medication, Hers offers a range of treatment options, including injections and pills. Get started today with our free online weight loss assessment.