Liraglutide dosing schedule
> Updated:
Human schedule
Liraglutide is a GLP-1 analogue given as a once-daily subcutaneous injection. The figures below are a generalized reference drawn from published studies and titration protocols, not an individual prescription.
This is a concise reference to regimens described for adults; it is not an individual prescription.
Liraglutide dosing is described in clinical and research sources as a gradual titration, not an immediate full dose: the week-by-week escalation is below.
| Period / condition | Dose | Escalation |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 (start) | 0.6 mg subcutaneous, once daily | Starting dose |
| Weeks 2–4 (titration) | 1.2 → 1.8 → 2.4 mg, once daily | +0.6 mg weekly as tolerated |
| Week 5+ (maintenance) | 3.0 mg subcutaneous, once daily | Maximum in this schedule |
| Metabolic regimen (lower) | 1.8 mg subcutaneous, once daily | Alternative maximum |
Sources and the clinical context for these regimens are collected in the liraglutide monograph.
Practical dosing and effect details
The titration schedule on this page (0.6 to 1.2 to 1.8 to 2.4 to 3.0 mg once weekly) follows the logic of the Astrup and colleagues dose-finding trial (The Lancet, 2009): it compared several liraglutide doses in adults and found a dose-dependent effect, with gradual escalation lowering the rate of nausea and other gastrointestinal reactions compared with starting at a high dose directly.
That is why each step is held for at least a week before raising the dose further: the body has time to adapt to the effect on stomach motility that drives early side effects. Daily dosing follows from liraglutide's half-life (around 13 hours): a fatty-acid chain in the molecule binds plasma albumin and slows clearance, enough to support one injection a day. The Astrup trial studied an approved pharmaceutical drug under clinical conditions, not a research-grade material.
This is reference information for planning a research protocol, not a medical recommendation, not a promise of any outcome, and not instructions for self-administration.
This reference is research-use material. The information is not medical advice and is not intended for diagnosis, treatment or prevention of disease.