What Tirzepatide is and what it is studied for
Tirzepatide activates two receptors, GIP and GLP-1. The GLP-1 side slows gastric emptying and quietens appetite; the GIP side is associated in research with smoother hunger control and a favourable effect on blood sugar and insulin sensitivity. It is studied for fat loss, for glycaemic control, and for the metabolic markers that tend to follow — HbA1c, liver enzymes and lipids.
Two things set the house protocol apart. First, mandatory split dosing: the weekly amount is divided into three equal injections on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Peak drug levels stay lower, which in practice means fewer gut side effects, slower receptor desensitisation and a later, gentler plateau — the same weekly dose, given more kindly. Second, the lowest effective dose: most people complete the whole 12 weeks on 2.5–5 mg a week. The step-ups exist so you can go further if your body and labs say so, not because you should.
Who it suits — and who should not run it
Written for adult women and men with real body fat to lose who want steady appetite control with a low GI burden, and who will keep lifting and eating protein while the compound does its part. Not for people who are already lean, and never stacked on top of an existing GLP-1 or GIP/GLP-1 medication. The house exclusions:
Not for
- Pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy in the next 6 months.
- Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2.
- History of pancreatitis, active gallbladder disease, or severe gastroparesis.
- Type 1 diabetes, or type 2 diabetes on insulin or sulfonylureas — hypoglycaemia risk; personalised protocol only, with the prescriber.
- A history of an eating disorder.
- Under 18, or a BMI under 22.
- Already on Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic or similar — do not stack; a switch belongs in a personalised protocol.
The house protocol
The 25 mg pen holds 300 clicks at 83.3 mcg per click. Every dose is subcutaneous — abdomen a hand's width from the navel, or the outer thigh — rotating sites between the three weekly injections. Same three mornings, same time each day: that consistency matters more than fasted-versus-fed.
Three phases, all given as three equal doses a week. Week 1 — floor, an introduction almost everyone tolerates. Weeks 2–5 — working dose, held for four full weeks, then a three-question check at week 5: still losing roughly 0.3–0.5 kg a week? feeling fine? appetite genuinely controlled? If yes to all three, stay. Weeks 6–12 — hold, with one possible step only on a true plateau.
| Pen | Dose per injection | Clicks | Frequency | Timing | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tirzepatide 25 mg (83.3 mcg/click) | 0.83 mg (2.5 mg/week) | 10 | Mon · Wed · Fri | Mornings, same time | Week 1 — floor |
| Tirzepatide 25 mg | 1.67 mg (5 mg/week) | 20 | Mon · Wed · Fri | Mornings, same time | Weeks 2–5 — working dose, hold four weeks |
| Tirzepatide 25 mg | 1.67 mg (5 mg/week) | 20 | Mon · Wed · Fri | Mornings, same time | Weeks 6–12 — default hold; the dose most people finish on |
| Tirzepatide 25 mg | 2.5 mg (7.5 mg/week) | 30 | Mon · Wed · Fri | Mornings, same time | Weeks 6–12 — only after 2–3 weeks with zero loss, no sooner than every 4 weeks, not before week 9 |
There is a hard ceiling of 40 clicks per dose (10 mg a week) that is deliberately not part of the general protocol; reaching for it belongs in a personalised protocol with a coach reading your labs.
Pens: staying at 20 clicks throughout uses 57.5 mg → 3 pens (75 mg capacity), leaving about 17.5 mg. Stepping to 30 clicks from week 9 uses 67.5 mg, still 3 pens, leaving about 7.5 mg. A week with meaningful nausea, vomiting, dizziness or constipation is a hold week regardless of the calendar; two hold weeks in a row means going back one step (10 clicks per dose) for a week before trying again. Keep the pen in the fridge between uses.
Week by week — what people typically notice and when
| When | What is typically reported |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | The floor dose. Little to no side effect for most people; a small, mostly-water drop on the scale while the routine beds in. |
| Weeks 2–5 | Appetite control becomes noticeable within the first week at 20 clicks. Steady loss begins; the split schedule keeps day-to-day symptoms mild for most researchers. |
| Weeks 6–8 | Loss continues at a steady, sustainable pace. Energy and training performance typically hold up well; week-8 labs come in. |
| Weeks 9–12 | Consolidation on the same dose for most people, or one step if a true plateau earned it. Waist and how clothes fit often move more than the scale by now. |
| Any week | Faster than roughly 1 % of body weight a week is a sign to eat more protein, not a success. |
Resistance training three times a week on the evenings of the injection days, 8–10 k steps daily, and a protein floor of 1.6–2.0 g per kg of goal body weight carry the lean mass through the cycle. No new endurance programme in weeks 1–2; add cardio from week 3 if wanted, and train on a small meal rather than fasted while the body adapts.
Labs we ask for before and during
| Marker | When | Why it is on the list |
|---|---|---|
| HbA1c | Baseline · week 8 · week 12 | Glucose response over the cycle |
| Lipid panel | Baseline · week 12 | Tirzepatide typically improves these; the repeat confirms it |
| ALT, AST, GGT, bilirubin | Baseline · week 8 | Liver — tends to improve as liver fat falls |
| Cystatin C (never creatinine alone) | Baseline · week 12 | Kidney measure not distorted by muscle or creatine |
| Lipase | Baseline | Pancreas baseline before any incretin |
| TSH | Baseline | Thyroid before a metabolic compound |
| Full blood count, ferritin | Baseline | Anaemia and iron stores affect energy and lab interpretation |
| Blood pressure, resting heart rate | Weekly at home | A simple safety signal through the cycle |
Same lab, same time of day, before the Monday injection, not the day after training. Vitamin D, magnesium and omega-3 are the only general supplements — no NAC, no TUDCA, nothing else without a lab reason.
Stacking: what it pairs with
Tirzepatide runs alone in its class — never combined with retatrutide or another GLP-1 compound. If the question is which to run: tirzepatide is the gentler, better-characterised option, retatrutide the stronger signal with a bigger ask of the gut. A change between them is a phased switch, not a stack.For lean-mass support during the cycle, a nightly CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin pairing is the usual partner, and tesamorelin the choice when visceral fat is the specific target. Both add IGF-1 and a tighter glucose watch to the lab list, which is exactly why stacks belong in a personalised protocol.
Common mistakes
- Taking the weekly dose in one shot. The split is the house rule, not an optional smoothing trick. 20 clicks three times is not the same experience as 60 clicks once.
- Stepping up on the calendar. A step is earned by a genuine plateau — no loss at all for two to three weeks — never by "it has been four weeks".
- Chasing the ceiling. Most people finish the cycle on 5 mg a week. The 40-click dose is not on this page for a reason.
- Heavy or greasy food on an injection morning. Together with large portions and alcohol, this is what turns "mild" into "uncomfortable".
- Letting protein slide. The GIP component makes hunger feel smoother, which makes under-eating easy. Hit the protein number every day, hungry or not.
Frequently asked questions
How many clicks is a tirzepatide dose on the 25 mg pen?
The 25 mg pen holds 300 clicks at 83.3 mcg per click. The house protocol is 10 clicks per injection in week 1, then 20 clicks three times a week from week 2 — 5 mg a week — with 30 clicks only after a true plateau.
Why does Longevity Bros split tirzepatide into three doses a week?
Three smaller injections keep peak drug levels lower than one weekly bolus. In practice that means fewer gut side effects, slower receptor desensitisation and a later, gentler plateau — the same total weekly dose, given more kindly.
What is the lowest effective dose of tirzepatide?
In the house protocol most people complete all 12 weeks on 5 mg a week (20 clicks, Monday, Wednesday and Friday). The step to 7.5 mg is taken only after two to three weeks with zero loss, no sooner than every four weeks.
How many 25 mg pens do I need for a 12-week cycle?
Three. Staying at 20 clicks per dose uses 57.5 mg of the 75 mg three pens hold, leaving about 17.5 mg. Stepping to 30 clicks from week 9 uses 67.5 mg, still three pens.
Can I switch from tirzepatide to retatrutide?
Not by stacking, and not in a general protocol. A change between GLP-1 class compounds is phased and written into a personalised protocol with a coach reading your labs.
Want this written for your body, not the average one?
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