Spread across 72 weeks, the SURMOUNT-1 averages work out to about 0.2% to 0.3% of body weight lost per week. That is 20.9% divided by 72 weeks at 15 mg, 19.5% at 10 mg and 15.0% at 5 mg. For a 250-pound adult, the 15 mg average is roughly 0.7 pounds a week. These are averages from a trial, not a promise, and real loss is faster in some months and slower in others. If you are new to the drug, start with our tirzepatide guide.
Key takeaways
- No trial reports a "per week" number. Everything on this page is arithmetic from published 72-week or 36-week means, and it is labeled as such.
- SURMOUNT-1 means at 72 weeks: -15.0% (5 mg), -19.5% (10 mg), -20.9% (15 mg), -3.1% (placebo).
- Loss is not linear. In SURMOUNT-4, the tirzepatide group had already lost 20.9% by week 36, which is a faster average pace than the 72-week trial implies.
- The first 4 weeks are at the 2.5 mg starting dose, which the label says is not a maintenance dose.
- The label does not set a maximum duration. The longest trial in the Sources ran 176 weeks.
Tirzepatide average weight loss per week, by dose
SURMOUNT-1 enrolled 2,539 adults with obesity or overweight and no diabetes. Divide each group's 72-week mean by 72 and you get a weekly average. Multiply by 4 for a four-week average.
| Group | Mean loss at 72 weeks | Average per week | Average per 4 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Placebo | -3.1% | About 0.04% | About 0.17% |
| Tirzepatide 5 mg | -15.0% | About 0.21% | About 0.83% |
| Tirzepatide 10 mg | -19.5% | About 0.27% | About 1.08% |
| Tirzepatide 15 mg | -20.9% | About 0.29% | About 1.16% |
Source: SURMOUNT-1, Jastreboff et al., NEJM 2022 (treatment-regimen estimand); per-week and per-4-week columns are arithmetic (mean divided by 72 weeks), not trial endpoints.
What that looks like in pounds
Percentages are what the trials report. Pounds depend on where you start. The table applies the same arithmetic to three starting weights.
Check your GLP-1 eligibility
Use our free BMI Calculator to see if you may qualify for provider-reviewed GLP-1 therapy.
Try the BMI Calculator →| Starting weight | 15 mg: total at 72 weeks (20.9%) | 15 mg: average per week | 10 mg: total (19.5%) | 5 mg: total (15.0%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 lb | About 42 lb | About 0.6 lb | About 39 lb | About 30 lb |
| 250 lb | About 52 lb | About 0.7 lb | About 49 lb | About 38 lb |
| 300 lb | About 63 lb | About 0.9 lb | About 59 lb | About 45 lb |
Source: arithmetic applied to the SURMOUNT-1 means. Averages, not predictions for any individual.
Why the weekly average is misleading on its own
An average over 72 weeks hides the shape of the curve. Two trial facts show the shape. First, the label starts everyone at 2.5 mg for four weeks, a dose the label calls a starting dose rather than a maintenance dose, and the dose then rises in 2.5 mg steps with at least four weeks on each. So the early weeks are on lower doses. Second, SURMOUNT-4 gave all participants tirzepatide for 36 weeks before randomizing them, and the mean loss at week 36 was already 20.9%. That is the same figure SURMOUNT-1 reached at week 72. Divided by 36, the SURMOUNT-4 lead-in averages about 0.58% per week, roughly double the 72-week average.
Put together, the pace tends to be quickest once you reach a maintenance dose and slows as you approach a plateau. The trials do not give a week-2 or month-1 figure in the summaries we rely on, so we will not invent one. Our page on how fast tirzepatide works covers the early weeks.
Tirzepatide results at 1 month, 3 months and beyond
| Point in treatment | What the label or trials say |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 4 | 2.5 mg starting dose; steady-state blood levels are reached after 4 weeks of weekly dosing (label) |
| Week 5 onward | Step-ups of 2.5 mg allowed after at least 4 weeks on each dose; 5, 10 and 15 mg are maintenance doses (label) |
| 3 months (about 13 weeks) | No 13-week mean in the Sources; by the label schedule you would be at 7.5 mg at the earliest |
| 36 weeks | -20.9% mean in the SURMOUNT-4 lead-in |
| 72 weeks | -15.0% to -20.9% by dose in SURMOUNT-1; -12.8% and -14.7% at 10 and 15 mg in adults with type 2 diabetes (SURMOUNT-2) |
| 176 weeks (about 3.4 years) | -22.9% at 15 mg versus -2.1% on placebo in adults with obesity and prediabetes (SURMOUNT-1 extension) |
Source: Zepbound prescribing information; SURMOUNT-1; SURMOUNT-2; SURMOUNT-4; SURMOUNT-1 3-year extension.
Average loss per month is just the per-week figure times about 4.3. At 15 mg that is about 1.25% of body weight per month over the full 72 weeks, or about 3 pounds a month for a 250-pound adult. Again: an average, front-loaded in practice.
How long can you stay on tirzepatide?
The Zepbound label describes chronic weight management, and it sets no maximum duration. The longest trial in the Sources, the SURMOUNT-1 extension, ran 176 weeks and reported continued benefit: -22.9% at 15 mg and a 94% reduction in progression to type 2 diabetes among adults with prediabetes (1.3% versus 13.3%). The other side of the question is what happens when you stop. In SURMOUNT-4, participants switched to placebo after 36 weeks regained 14.0% over the next 52 weeks, while those who stayed on tirzepatide lost a further 5.5%. How long you stay on is a decision for you and your prescriber; see tirzepatide maintenance dose after goal weight and what happens when you stop taking tirzepatide.
What slows the weekly pace
The trials point to a few things. Adults with type 2 diabetes lost less on average (SURMOUNT-2). Lower doses lost less (SURMOUNT-1). Side effects can hold you at a lower dose for longer; in SURMOUNT-1, nausea affected 24.6% to 33.3% of tirzepatide participants versus 9.5% on placebo, mostly during escalation. And the trials paired the drug with a reduced-calorie diet and increased activity, which the label lists as part of the indication. None of this is a reason to push the dose faster than the label allows.
What this means for compounded tirzepatide
All of the numbers above come from trials of the approved products. Compounded tirzepatide is not FDA approved and is not interchangeable with Zepbound or Mounjaro; a licensed provider decides whether it is appropriate for you. At FormBlends, compounded tirzepatide is $149 for the first month, then $239 a month, or $214 a month with Subscribe & Save, at any dose. See pricing or begin at start.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tirzepatide average weight loss per week?
About 0.2% to 0.3% of body weight per week as a 72-week average from SURMOUNT-1, depending on dose. For a 250-pound adult at 15 mg that is roughly 0.7 pounds a week. Real loss is faster at some points and slower at others.
What is the average weight loss per month on tirzepatide?
Roughly 0.8% to 1.25% of body weight per month over 72 weeks, by dose, using the same arithmetic. The SURMOUNT-4 lead-in reached 20.9% in 36 weeks, so the monthly pace can be higher once you are on a maintenance dose.
What results should I expect at 1 month or in week 2?
The trials in the Sources do not report a week-2 or month-1 mean. The first 4 weeks are at the 2.5 mg starting dose, which the label says is not a maintenance dose. Judge progress over months, not days.
How much weight do you lose on tirzepatide in 3 months?
There is no 3-month mean in the Sources. By the label schedule, 3 months puts you at 7.5 mg at the earliest, still climbing toward a maintenance dose, so most of the 72-week total is still ahead.
How long can you stay on tirzepatide for weight loss?
The label sets no maximum, and the longest trial ran 176 weeks with continued benefit. Stopping led to regain of 14.0% over 52 weeks in SURMOUNT-4. Duration is a prescriber decision.
Sources
- Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity (SURMOUNT-1), Jastreboff et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2022.
- Continued Treatment With Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults With Obesity (SURMOUNT-4), Aronne et al., JAMA, 2024.
- Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity in people with type 2 diabetes (SURMOUNT-2), Garvey et al., The Lancet, 2023.
- Tirzepatide for Obesity Treatment and Diabetes Prevention (SURMOUNT-1 3-year), Jastreboff et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2025.
- Zepbound (tirzepatide) prescribing information, Eli Lilly via DailyMed, revised 08/2026.
- FormBlends pricing, Form Blends LLC, verified September 5, 2026.
Next steps
See every trial result on how much weight can you lose on tirzepatide and the early timeline on how fast tirzepatide works. Browse the tirzepatide hub for every other tirzepatide question. Talk to a clinician about what pace is reasonable for you. Compounded tirzepatide is not FDA approved and is not interchangeable with Zepbound or Mounjaro; a licensed provider decides whether it is appropriate for you.
See your options in about 2 minutes
Take the free quiz and see what fits you. Quick, private, and no commitment to continue.
See my options →