Dose selection and titration for semaglutide must follow approved product labelling and individualized clinical judgment. This page provides high-level concepts, not dosing instructions.
Overview
Semaglutide dosing strategies differ by indication, formulation, and jurisdiction, but share common principles:
- Start low and titrate gradually.
- Use weekly intervals for injectable formulations.
- Monitor tolerability, especially GI symptoms, and adjust as needed.
Formulation and route
Semaglutide is available as:
- Once-weekly subcutaneous injections in pre-filled pens.
- Oral tablets in some jurisdictions, with specific administration instructions.
Each formulation has its own approved dosing schedule, which should be followed exactly as described in labelling.
Titration principles
Titration schedules are designed to balance efficacy with tolerability. Clinically, this often means:
- Beginning at a low introductory dose.
- Increasing the dose in steps after several weeks.
- Slowing or pausing titration if side effects are problematic.
Exact step sizes and timing differ between products (e.g., diabetes vs weight management formulations) and should be confirmed from up-to-date official labelling.
Maintenance dosing ranges
Maintenance doses for semaglutide depend on indication and individual response. Some people may remain on lower doses if goals are met and tolerability is optimal, while others may move to higher targets within labelled ranges.
Decisions about whether and when to escalate, de-escalate, or discontinue are clinical questions that factor in benefits, side effects, and patient preferences.
Adherence and missed-dose considerations
Weekly dosing can be convenient, but it also makes adherence and missed-dose management important topics. Product information typically provides guidance on what to do if a dose is missed or delayed.
Patients are usually advised to discuss missed-dose questions directly with their clinician or pharmacist rather than improvising.
Educational tools and references
For structured reasoning about dosing concepts (not for prescribing), readers may find it helpful to use:
The Half-Life Plotter to visualize how dosing intervals relate to theoretical exposure over time.
The Peptide Calculator when working with vial-based representations in research contexts.