Independent. Not affiliated with Eli Lilly or Novo Nordisk.Not medical advice. Your prescriber decides your treatment.
GLP-1 Field GuidePractical help, sourced from the label

How to inject Zepbound from a vial

Zepbound single-dose vials need a separate syringe and needle. Here is each step from Lilly's instructions, the syringe Lilly recommends, and the things that most often trip people up.

Compiled by the GLP-1 Field Guide editorUpdated 4 min readSourced from official labels. Not yet clinically reviewed.
Key points
  • Syringe and needle are not included. Lilly gives the example of a 1 mL syringe.
  • Draw up to the 0.5 mL line. On a 1 mL U-100 insulin syringe that is the 50 unit mark.
  • Inject into the stomach or thighs, or the back of the upper arm if someone else injects.
  • Hold the needle in for at least 5 seconds.
  • One vial, one dose. Throw it away after use, even if medicine is left.
Your prescriber's instructions come firstThis summarizes Lilly's instructions. If your prescriber or pharmacist showed you a different syringe or technique, follow them, and ask them if anything here does not match.

What you need

  • 1 single-dose Zepbound vial.[1]
  • 1 syringe and 1 needle, supplied separately. Lilly gives the example of a 1 mL syringe and needle as recommended by your healthcare provider.[1]
  • An alcohol swab, gauze and a sharps container.[1]

Lilly's medical information explains why 1 mL syringes are recommended: they let the plunger pass the 0.5 mL mark so you can clear air bubbles. It says the volume to inject is 0.5 mL whatever the dose strength, and that on a 1 mL U-100 insulin syringe the 50 unit mark equals 0.5 mL. Other insulin syringe types convert differently, so use the one your prescriber or pharmacist recommends.[2]

Check the vial

Take the vial out of the fridge and check:[1]

  • it is the right medicine and dose, and not past its expiration date;
  • the liquid is colorless to slightly yellow, not cloudy, with no particles, and not frozen.

Wash your hands with soap and water.[1]

Draw up the dose

  1. Uncap and wipe

    Pull off the plastic protective cap, leaving the rubber stopper in place. Wipe the stopper with an alcohol swab.[1]

  2. Prepare the syringe

    If the needle is not already attached, put it on the syringe and turn until it is tight. Pull the needle shield straight off.[1]

  3. Draw in air

    Holding the syringe needle up, pull the plunger down to the 0.5 mL line to draw in air.[1]

  4. Put the air into the vial

    Push the needle through the rubber stopper and push the plunger all the way in.[1]

  5. Draw up the medicine

    Turn the vial and syringe upside down with the needle tip in the liquid. Slowly pull the plunger down past the 0.5 mL line. If you see air bubbles, tap the syringe gently so they rise to the top.[1]

  6. Set exactly 0.5 mL

    Slowly push the plunger up until the plunger tip reaches the 0.5 mL line. Then pull the syringe out of the stopper.[1]

Inject

  1. Choose a site

    Inject under the skin of your stomach area or thighs. Someone else can use the back of your upper arm. Rotate sites, and avoid skin that is tender, bruised, scaly, hard, thickened or lumpy.[1]

  2. Insert and push

    Insert the needle into your skin and push the plunger down to inject. Lilly says to talk to your healthcare provider about the right way to inject.[1]

  3. Hold for 5 seconds

    Keep the needle in your skin for at least 5 seconds, then pull it out. If there is bleeding, press with gauze. Do not rub, and do not recap the needle.[1]

Front
Back
Stomach (abdomen) and front of thighsBack of upper arms: only if someone else injects
Where to inject from a Zepbound vial, from Lilly's instructions. Rotate sites each time.

After you inject

  • Put the used needle and syringe in an FDA-cleared sharps container straight away.[1]
  • Throw the vial away after use, even if medicine is left in it.[1]
  • Unopened vials go back in the fridge. They can spend a total of 21 days at room temperature up to 86°F.[1]
  • Questions or problems: Lilly's line is 1-800-545-5979.[1]

The free logbook keeps track of which site you used last, so rotating is easy.

Common questions

What syringe do I need for a Zepbound vial?

The syringe and needle are not included. Lilly's instructions give the example of a 1 mL syringe and needle as recommended by your healthcare provider. Lilly's medical information says 1 mL syringes are recommended so the plunger can go past the 0.5 mL mark to clear air bubbles.

How much Zepbound do I draw up from the vial?

The instructions use the 0.5 mL line. Lilly's medical information says the volume to inject is 0.5 mL whatever the dose strength.

Can I use an insulin syringe for Zepbound?

Lilly's medical information says its recommendations do not rule out an insulin syringe, and that on a 1 mL U-100 insulin syringe the 50 unit mark equals 0.5 mL. Other insulin syringe types convert differently, so use the syringe your prescriber or pharmacist recommends.

Can I get more than one dose from a Zepbound vial?

No. The single-dose vial is for one injection. Throw it away after use, even if medicine is left in it.

Where do I inject Zepbound from a vial?

Under the skin of the stomach area (abdomen) or thighs. Someone else can inject into the back of your upper arm. Rotate your injection site each time.

Not medical adviceThis guide explains what the official instructions say. Your prescriber and pharmacist know your situation, so ask them if anything here does not match what you were told.

Sources

  1. Eli Lilly and Company. Zepbound single-dose vial Instructions for Use. Revised April 2026. Last checked 2026-10-01.
  2. Lilly Medical (US medical information). What syringe and needle are recommended for use with the Zepbound (tirzepatide) vial?. Revised Last reviewed June 7, 2024. Last checked 2026-10-12.
How to inject ZepboundPen, KwikPen and vial compared.How to store Zepbound vialsThe 21-day room temperature rule.Missed a Zepbound dose?The 4-day rule, with examples.Injection site logbookTrack your rotation week to week.