SharpySemaglutide Dosage Chart: Ozempic, Wegovy and Pills (2026)
Semaglutide is sold under three FDA-approved brands, and each has its own dose chart. Ozempic shots start at 0.25 mg a week for 4 weeks, then 0.5 mg, with 1 mg and 2 mg as options. Wegovy shots climb every 4 weeks through 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 1.7 mg to 2.4 mg, and adults can go up to 7.2 mg for weight loss. The pills use different numbers (1.5 to 25 mg a day) because so little is absorbed. Whatever your dose, Sharpy sets one daily protein target and one 20-minute workout so you lose fat, not muscle.
What dose of semaglutide will you take, and how does it go up? It depends on the brand. Ozempic shots start at 0.25 mg a week and top out at 2 mg. Wegovy shots start at 0.25 mg and climb every 4 weeks to 2.4 mg, with 7.2 mg allowed for some adults. Semaglutide pills use bigger numbers, from 1.5 mg to 25 mg a day, because the stomach absorbs very little. The charts below come straight from the FDA labels.
This is a reading of the official labels, not a plan for you. Your prescriber chooses your dose and decides when it changes.
Semaglutide dosage chart: every FDA-approved brand
Semaglutide is one molecule made by Novo Nordisk. It is sold as two weekly shots and two daily pills in the US.
| Brand | Form | Approved for | Starting dose | Top dose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozempic | Weekly shot | Type 2 diabetes, heart and kidney risk | 0.25 mg | 2 mg |
| Wegovy | Weekly shot | Weight loss, heart risk, MASH | 0.25 mg | 7.2 mg (Wegovy HD) |
| Wegovy pill | Daily tablet | Weight loss, heart risk | 1.5 mg | 25 mg |
| Ozempic tablets | Daily tablet | Type 2 diabetes | 1.5 mg | 9 mg |
| Rybelsus (older tablet) | Daily tablet | Type 2 diabetes | 3 mg | 14 mg |
Every brand starts low and steps up slowly. The labels say the slow climb lowers the risk of nausea, vomiting and other stomach side effects.
Ozempic dosage chart (weekly shot)
The Ozempic label (revised July 2026) gives this schedule:
| Weeks | Weekly dose | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 0.25 mg | Starting dose, lets your stomach adjust |
| 5 and on | 0.5 mg | First maintenance dose |
| After 4+ weeks on 0.5 mg | 1 mg | If more blood sugar control is needed |
| After 4+ weeks on 1 mg | 2 mg | Maximum dose |
People with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease are moved to 1 mg after at least 4 weeks on 0.5 mg. That is the dose that lowered kidney and heart risk in the trial behind that approval.
Ozempic comes in pens that hold several weekly doses. The label lists three:
| Pen | Total in pen | Delivers |
|---|---|---|
| 2 mg / 3 mL | 0.68 mg per mL | 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg doses |
| 4 mg / 3 mL | 1.34 mg per mL | 1 mg doses (4 of them) |
| 8 mg / 3 mL | 2.68 mg per mL | 2 mg doses (4 of them) |
The current label also lists single-dose prefilled syringes for 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg, each 0.5 mL.
Ozempic is only FDA approved for type 2 diabetes. Many people search for an "Ozempic dosage chart for weight loss," but the semaglutide shot approved for weight loss is Wegovy, which is next.
Wegovy dosage chart for weight loss (weekly shot)
Here is the adult schedule from the Wegovy label (revised June 2026):
| Weeks | Weekly dose | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 0.25 mg | Starting dose |
| 5 to 8 | 0.5 mg | Step up |
| 9 to 12 | 1 mg | Step up |
| 13 to 16 | 1.7 mg | Step up |
| 17 and on | 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg | Maintenance (2.4 mg recommended) |
| After 4+ weeks on 2.4 mg | 7.2 mg | Maximum, adults needing more weight loss |
So the climb to 2.4 mg takes 16 weeks, about four months. If a step is too hard on you, the label lets your prescriber wait 4 more weeks before the next one. That is common and not a failure. Our nausea guide has food tips for the weeks after each step.
The 7.2 mg dose is sold as Wegovy HD. The label only allows it for adult weight loss, after at least 4 weeks on 2.4 mg, when more weight loss is needed. Teens 12 and older stay on 2.4 mg or 1.7 mg. For heart risk and for MASH (a liver disease), the maintenance dose is 2.4 mg. If you are weighing Wegovy HD against tirzepatide, read Wegovy HD vs Zepbound.
Semaglutide dosage chart in mL
People ask for mL because they want to check what is in the pen. For the branded shots, you never measure mL yourself. Each pen gives a set dose.
| Wegovy pen | Volume per dose |
|---|---|
| 0.25 mg | 0.5 mL |
| 0.5 mg | 0.5 mL |
| 1 mg | 0.5 mL |
| 1.7 mg | 0.75 mL |
| 2.4 mg | 0.75 mL |
| 7.2 mg (Wegovy HD) | 0.75 mL |
The label also lists a Wegovy FlexTouch pen with 9.6 mg in 3 mL, which gives four 2.4 mg doses. The strengths differ from pen to pen, so the same mL can hold very different amounts of drug. Never use one product's mL numbers for another.
Semaglutide dosage chart in units: read this first
The search "semaglutide dosage chart in units" is mostly about compounded semaglutide, sold in vials and drawn up with an insulin syringe. FDA-approved semaglutide is never dosed in units.
On July 26, 2024, the FDA warned about dosing errors with compounded semaglutide shots. Some products told people to dose in "units" instead of mg or mL, and concentrations vary from one compounder to the next. The FDA said some patients drew up 5 to 20 times the dose they meant to take, and some providers miscalculated conversions, giving 5 to 10 times the intended dose. Some of those people ended up in the hospital.
That is why this guide does not print a units chart. A chart made for one vial strength is wrong for another. If your product is labeled in units, ask the prescriber or pharmacist who gave it to you to show you how to measure it with the syringe they supply. For more on the risks and the current rules, see our compounded GLP-1 guide. Taking tiny off-label doses is a separate trend, covered in our microdosing guide.
Semaglutide pill dosage chart
The pills are the same drug, but only about 1% to 2% of each tablet reaches your blood, per the Wegovy label, compared with about 89% of a shot. So the numbers look much bigger.
| Days | Wegovy pill | Ozempic tablets | Rybelsus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 30 | 1.5 mg | 1.5 mg | 3 mg |
| 31 to 60 | 4 mg | 4 mg | 7 mg |
| 61 to 90 | 9 mg | 9 mg (if needed) | 14 mg (if needed) |
| 91 and on | 25 mg (maintenance) | 9 mg max | 14 mg max |
All of them are taken once a day on an empty stomach, with no more than 4 ounces of plain water, and then a 30-minute wait before food, drinks or other pills. Ozempic tablets and Rybelsus are not swapped milligram for milligram. For the full pill details, see our Wegovy pill dosage chart and our Ozempic pill guide.
Missed dose rules by brand
The labels give different rules, so check the one for your product:
| Product | If you miss a dose |
|---|---|
| Ozempic shot | Take it within 5 days. After 5 days, skip it and take the next one on your usual day |
| Wegovy shot | Take it if the next dose is more than 2 days away. If it is less than 2 days away, skip it |
| Wegovy shot, 2+ missed in a row | Talk to your prescriber about restarting at a lower step |
| Pills | Skip it and take the next tablet the next day. Never take two |
For Ozempic, you can change your shot day as long as doses are at least 2 days (48 hours) apart.
Protect your muscle at every dose
Each step up usually means a smaller appetite. When you eat less, protein is often the first thing to slip, and the body can lose muscle along with fat. Strength work and steady protein are the two habits that help most. Sharpy gives you one protein target based on your weight and one 20-minute strength workout a day, then rolls your progress into a single Shape Score. Our protein target guide shows how the number is set.
Safety notes from the labels
- Do not use semaglutide if you or your family have had medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2.
- Do not use two semaglutide products, or semaglutide with another GLP-1 drug, at the same time.
- Severe stomach pain that will not go away can be a sign of pancreatitis. Call your doctor.
- If you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor before starting.
- Never skip ahead, double up or change your dose on your own. Talk to your prescriber.
For the matching chart on Lilly's tirzepatide, see our Mounjaro dosage chart. To compare all the main GLP-1 drugs side by side, read our GLP-1 medication comparison. If stomach upset after a dose step is your worry, our guide to tradipitant for GLP-1 nausea explains a new Phase 3 study that started people on 1 mg semaglutide with no titration.
The bottom line
Ozempic climbs from 0.25 mg to a 2 mg weekly maximum. Wegovy climbs every 4 weeks to 2.4 mg, with 7.2 mg for some adults. The pills run from 1.5 mg to 25 mg a day because so little is absorbed. Branded pens are dosed in mg, never units. Whatever your dose, Sharpy keeps your protein and strength work on track so the weight you lose is fat, not muscle.
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Questions people ask
What is the semaglutide dosage chart for weight loss?
For Wegovy, the brand approved for weight loss, the label says 0.25 mg weekly in weeks 1 to 4, 0.5 mg in weeks 5 to 8, 1 mg in weeks 9 to 12, 1.7 mg in weeks 13 to 16, then 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg from week 17. Adults who tolerate 2.4 mg for at least 4 weeks and need more weight loss may move to 7.2 mg. Your prescriber sets the pace.
What is the normal dose of Ozempic?
The label starts everyone at 0.25 mg once a week for 4 weeks, then 0.5 mg. The usual maintenance doses are 0.5 mg, 1 mg or 2 mg a week, chosen by blood sugar control. People with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease are moved to 1 mg.
What is the maximum dosage of Ozempic?
The maximum Ozempic dose is 2 mg once a week. You only reach it after at least 4 weeks on 1 mg, and only if your blood sugar needs more control. Wegovy goes higher, to 2.4 mg and, for some adults, 7.2 mg.
What is the semaglutide dosage chart in units?
FDA-approved semaglutide pens are dosed in milligrams, not units. The pen dials or delivers a set dose, so there is nothing to convert. Units come up with compounded vials, and the FDA warned in July 2024 that unit and mL mix-ups led to people taking 5 to 20 times their intended dose. If your product is labeled in units, ask the prescriber or pharmacist who gave it to you to show you exactly how to measure it.
How many mL is a semaglutide dose?
It depends on the pen. Wegovy single-dose pens hold 0.5 mL for the 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg doses and 0.75 mL for 1.7, 2.4 and 7.2 mg. Ozempic pens hold 3 mL in total, split across several weekly doses, so you do not measure mL yourself. Never use another product's mL numbers for yours.
What happens if I miss a semaglutide shot?
For Ozempic, take it within 5 days of the missed day; after 5 days, skip it and take the next dose on schedule. For Wegovy, take it if your next dose is more than 2 days away, and skip it if it is less than 2 days away. If you miss 2 or more Wegovy doses in a row, talk to your prescriber about restarting at a lower step.
Is Ozempic 1 mg the same as Wegovy 1 mg?
It is the same drug at the same amount, but the brands are approved for different uses and come in different pens, so they are not swapped casually. Ozempic is for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy is for weight loss and heart risk. Your prescriber decides which product and dose fit you.