Key takeaways
- The label names each step, the minimum time on it and the maximum.
- After one half-life, half remains. After five, about three percent.
- How long a medicine stays is not how long it works.
- Your own schedule is set by your prescriber.
Chart a dose
An estimate from the label's half-life, not a blood test. Reko does not suggest doses, and this is not medical advice.
What this tool does
This page sets out the dose steps for Zepbound by week, the maximum, and how a half-life gives a rough idea of how long an amount stays. Every dose and half-life here comes from the current U.S. label. Other countries can differ.
How the arithmetic works
Amount remaining after t = start × 0.5(t ÷ half-life). After 1 half-life, 50%. After 2, 25%. After 3, 12.5%. After 5, about 3%.
A worked example
With a half-life of 5 to 6 days, about 3% of a dose remains after 25 to 30 days.
The dose steps in the U.S. label
Each step is at least 4 weeks, so these are the earliest possible weeks. For sleep apnea, the maintenance dose is 10 or 15 mg.
| Weeks | Weekly dose | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | 2.5 mg | Starting dose, not a maintenance dose |
| 5–8 | 5 mg | Maintenance option |
| 9–12 | 7.5 mg | Step up |
| 13–16 | 10 mg | Maintenance option |
| 17–20 | 12.5 mg | Step up |
| 21 onward | 15 mg | Maintenance option and maximum |
Half-life: about 5 to 6 days (label section 12.3).
Maximum dose: 15 mg once a week.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum Zepbound dose?
15 mg once a week.
How long does Zepbound stay in the body?
With a half-life of 5 to 6 days, about 3% of a dose remains after 25 to 30 days.
Can I change step early?
That is for your prescriber.
How Reko does this in the app
Reko lets you set a titration schedule for any dose steps and shows an estimated level from your logged doses and the compound's published half-lives. It is an estimate, not a blood test.
Reko records what you and your prescriber decide. It never suggests a dose, and this page is not medical advice.
- Zepbound U.S. prescribing information (revised August 2026), DailyMed.