Tirzepatide
Tirzepatide is a once-weekly dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist studied for glycemic control and weight reduction; research protocols typically start at 2.5 mg subcutaneously weekly, titrating toward maintenance doses of 5, 10, or 15 mg.
Best for
It has been studied primarily for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes and for body-weight reduction in adults with obesity or overweight, with additional research in obstructive sleep apnea, cardiovascular risk markers, and metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease.
What to expect
Research reports glucose-lowering and appetite effects emerging within the first weeks of dosing, with progressive weight reduction continuing over many months as the dose is titrated and sustained across the trial periods studied.
Pairs with
In studies it has been evaluated as monotherapy and alongside metformin and other background glucose-lowering agents, and in practice it is paired with dietary change and physical activity rather than stacked with other peptides.
In clinical research it is administered as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection, typically using a low starting dose with gradual monthly titration upward (commonly toward maintenance doses of 5, 10, or 15 mg) to improve gastrointestinal tolerability.
- How often
- Weekly
- When
- Morning
- Route
- Subcutaneous
- Vial & water
- 10 mg vial in 1 mL = 10 mg/mL · 2.5 mg = 25 units on a U-100 syringe
- Cycle
- 2.5 → 5 → 7.5 → 10 → 12.5 → 15 mg, escalate every 4 weeks if tolerated
The same numbers the goodtides app and the Dose Calc use — a research reference, not a prescription. Responses are individual; research protocols start at the low end.
- Mounjaro®injection · weeklytype 2 diabetes
- Zepbound®injection · weeklyweight management; obstructive sleep apnea
Brand names identify the molecule, not the dose. Each brand is a finished prescription product with its own fixed dose steps and its own route — a brand’s milligrams never transfer to a vial.
Mounjaro and Zepbound are registered trademarks of Eli Lilly and Company. goodtides is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by Eli Lilly. We sell research-grade tirzepatide. We do not sell Mounjaro or Zepbound.
Tirzepatide is a synthetic, once-weekly injectable peptide and the first dual agonist of both the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors.
Structurally it is a linear 39-amino-acid peptide modeled on the native GIP sequence, chemically modified with a C20 fatty-diacid moiety that binds albumin to extend its circulating half-life to roughly five days. By simultaneously engaging the GIP and GLP-1 incretin pathways, research has characterized effects on glucose-dependent insulin secretion, glucagon suppression, slowed gastric emptying, and reduced appetite.
It is FDA-approved as Mounjaro for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes and as Zepbound for chronic weight management and moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea, and has been extensively studied in the SURPASS (diabetes) and SURMOUNT (weight) phase 3 trial programs.
- Half-life
- ~5 days
- Peak
- 8-72 hr post-SC
- Absorption
- SC with fatty-acid sidechain → once-weekly
- Bioavailability
- SC ~80%
References2
Log every dose, count every vial, and verify your batches — free in the goodtides app.
This page is educational reference material about compounds studied in research settings. It is not medical advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy, possess, or use any compound. Research findings described are from published literature; individual compounds may not be approved for human use. Talk to a licensed clinician about anything that affects your health.