Titration
Also called: dose escalation, titrate
Clinical reviewer: Jacob Moore, MD · Last checked September 24, 2026
What is GLP-1 dose titration?
Titration is the label-directed schedule of starting at a low dose and stepping up over several weeks, used to reduce gastrointestinal side effects before reaching a maintenance dose. Wegovy injection titrates from 0.25 mg up to 1.7 mg by week 13, and Zepbound starts at 2.5 mg before increasing in 2.5 mg increments. Labels call this dosage escalation.
How does GLP-1 dose titration work?
Wegovy's label lays out a four-step titration schedule, meant "to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal adverse reactions" [1]:
| Weeks | Wegovy injection dose |
|---|---|
| 1–4 | 0.25 mg |
| 5–8 | 0.5 mg |
| 9–12 | 1 mg |
| 13–16 | 1.7 mg |
Zepbound starts at 2.5 mg for the first 4 weeks, a dose the label says "is for treatment initiation and is not approved as a maintenance dosage," then rises to 5 mg and can increase in 2.5 mg increments after at least 4 weeks on the current dose [2].
Who decides when to move to the next dose?
The prescriber follows the label schedule and its built-in flexibility: if a patient does not tolerate a dose during escalation, Wegovy's label says to "consider delaying dosage escalation for 4 weeks" [1]. Zepbound's label similarly says that if a patient does not tolerate a maintenance dosage, the prescriber can "consider a lower maintenance dosage" [2]. Titration is the step-up phase; once it ends, the dose reached is the maintenance dose, and stepping back down before stopping is tapering.
Frequently asked questions
Why does titration start at a low dose?+−
To reduce the risk of gastrointestinal adverse reactions, per the label. Starting low and stepping up over weeks is meant to improve tolerability before reaching a full dose.
What happens after titration ends?+−
The dose reached at the end of the schedule becomes the maintenance dose, the dose held until the prescriber and patient consider a change.
Related terms
Sources
This entry is for education and is not medical advice. Talk with a licensed clinician about your own situation before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment.
