Liraglutide dosing schedule
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Calculate the Liraglutide dose
The calculator is already set up for Liraglutide — adjust the dose or diluent volume for your vial.
Human dosing
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.
How to reconstitute
An example reconstitution for convenient dosing. The exact ratios depend on your vial. For research reference only — not medical guidance.
- 1Add the diluentUse bacteriostatic water. Example: 2 ml into a 5 mg vial.Liraglutide5 mg+ 2 mlDiluent
- 2Get the concentrationExample: 5 mg in 2 ml =Liraglutide2.5 mg/ml(2,500 mcg/ml)
- 3Work out the volume per doseFor example, for a 0.6 mg dose:0.6 mg = 0.24 ml= 24 u. (U-100)
This is only an example calculation. You can use a different diluent volume — plug your own numbers into the calculator. Open calculator →
Research protocols
Liraglutide: reference regimens
Liraglutide is a GLP-1 analogue given as a once-daily subcutaneous injection.
More scientific background in the Liraglutide monograph
Notes and safety
- • Liraglutide is a research peptide. Human safety and efficacy data are limited.
- • The regimens shown are based on publications and research protocols, not clinical recommendations.
- • Individual reactions may vary. Published protocols typically start dosing at the lower end of the reported range.
- • Not recommended for use with chronic illness, pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
- • This information is for educational purposes and is not medical advice.
Liraglutide