glp1InjectablePrescription only (US)
DulaglutideBenefits, Dosage & Interactions
Also known as: Trulicity
Dulaglutide, marketed under the brand name Trulicity, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Research on Dulaglutide focuses on blood sugar control and weight loss.
How much Dulaglutide do people take?
REWIND used 1.5 mg once weekly; labels describe 0.75 mg up to 4.5 mg once weekly. Route reported: Subcutaneous injection. Frequency reported: Once weekly, on the same day each week. These are amounts documented in the cited studies and labels for Dulaglutide — they are reported for reference, not a recommendation. Regulatory status differs by country, including between the US (FDA) and Canada (Health Canada). Confirm any amount with a licensed clinician before you take it.
See the full reported protocol and its sourcesResearched by DoseRoutine Research TeamReviewed for accuracy by Nicholas Alexander, RSE, SO, PMPLast updated Educational reference only — not medical advice. Always confirm dosing and safety decisions with a licensed clinician.
Evidence: Moderate — One published human randomized trial; results not yet replicated.
Evidence strengthModerate · 3/4
PreclinicalStrong human evidence
One published human randomized trial; results not yet replicated.
Plasma half-life
~108 h
Default unit
mg
What published protocols report
Ranges documented in the literature, shown for reference. DoseRoutine does not recommend an amount — your prescriber or the product label sets the dose.
- Reported amounts
- REWIND used 1.5 mg once weekly; labels describe 0.75 mg up to 4.5 mg once weekly[1]
- Route studied
- Subcutaneous injection[1]
- Frequency
- Once weekly, on the same day each week[1]
- Cycle length
- Median 5.4 years of follow-up in REWIND[1]
- Half-life
- Approximately 5 days[1]
- Storage
- Refrigerated; single-dose pens may be kept at room temperature for a limited period per the label[1]
Reported for Dulaglutide in the cited sources. Published ranges are not dosing advice.
Mixing Dulaglutide: bacteriostatic water and syringe units
The vial arrives as dry powder. How much water you add sets the strength, and the strength sets the mark you draw to on the syringe. The table assumes a 5 mg vial and a 250 mcg example draw on a U-100 insulin syringe, where 100 units is one millilitre. If your vial is a different size, scale it — the arithmetic is the same.
| Bacteriostatic water added | Resulting strength | 250 mcg draws to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 5 mg/mL | 5 units |
| 2 mL | 2.5 mg/mL | 10 units |
| 3 mL | 1.67 mg/mL | 15 units |
Units, not millilitres. Insulin syringes are marked in units, and mixing up mcg and mg on a peptide label is the single most common error people report. Check the label twice. Run your own vial through the calculator.
Storage and stability
- Before mixing
- Sealed and still as a dry powder, Dulaglutide vials are normally kept in the fridge at 2–8 °C, out of light. Short spells at room temperature during shipping are the norm for lyophilized peptides and are not, on their own, a sign the vial is spoiled.
- After mixing
- Once bacteriostatic water goes in, the vial belongs in the fridge and is generally treated as good for about 28 days — that is how long the benzyl alcohol in bacteriostatic water is relied on to hold back bacterial growth. Plain sterile water has no preservative, so a vial mixed with it is a single-session vial. Never freeze a reconstituted vial.
- When to throw it out
- A properly mixed vial is clear. Cloudiness, floating strands, a color change or powder that will not go into solution after gentle swirling all mean the vial should be discarded rather than used. Shaking a peptide vial hard is the usual cause — swirl it, or run the water down the inside wall of the vial instead of onto the powder.
Handling and shelf-life figures describe general practice for lyophilized peptides. They are not a dose and not medical advice — your prescriber or the product label sets the amount.
Dulaglutide compared with similar compounds
| Attribute | Semaglutide | Dulaglutide | Cagrilintide | Survodutide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist (Fc fusion) | Long-acting amylin analog | Glucagon/GLP-1 dual receptor agonist |
| Route | Subcutaneous once weekly | Subcutaneous once weekly | Subcutaneous once weekly | Subcutaneous once weekly |
| Half-life | ~7 days | ~5 days | ~7–8 days | ~6 days |
| Evidence grade | Strong | Strong | Moderate | Moderate |
| Oral stability | Oral tablet form exists (with SNAC absorption enhancer) | Not orally available | Not orally available | Not orally available |
| Typical published cycle | Ongoing while prescribed | Ongoing while prescribed | Investigational — phase 3 ongoing | Investigational — phase 3 reported |
| Main studied use | Type 2 diabetes and weight management | Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk reduction | Weight management, alone or with semaglutide | Obesity and MASH (investigational) |
References & evidence
Documents the Dulaglutide entry is written from. Each number matches an inline marker above.
- [1]Dulaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes (REWIND): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trialGerstein HC, Colhoun HM, Dagenais GR, et al. · The Lancet · 2019 · Peer-reviewed · PMID 31189511
References & Evidence
Sources on this page that document Dulaglutide dosing, timing and safety.
- [1]National Center for Biotechnology Information View source
Educational information only — not medical advice. Dose ranges vary by person, indication and prescriber.
What is Dulaglutide studied for?
What is Dulaglutide?Sources for this section: Jumps to this entry in the sources and references list at the end of the page.
Dulaglutide, marketed under the brand name Trulicity, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is also approved to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in adults with type 2 diabetes who have established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors. Dulaglutide is administered as a subcutaneous injection once weekly. Its primary actions include stimulating insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner, suppressing glucagon secretion, slowing gastric emptying, and promoting a feeling of fullness, which can lead to reduced food intake. These combined effects contribute to improved glycemic control and can also support weight management. As an injectable medication, it is typically prescribed by a healthcare professional familiar with diabetes management. (FDA label, DrugBank)
What does the research say about Dulaglutide?
Tap a section to expand.
Dulaglutide acts as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, mimicking the effects of the natural incretin hormone GLP-1. When blood glucose levels are elevated, dulaglutide binds to and activates GLP-1 receptors on pancreatic beta cells. This activation leads to an increase in intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels, which in turn promotes glucose-dependent insulin release from the beta cells. This means that dulaglutide stimulates insulin secretion primarily when blood glucose is high, thereby reducing the risk of hypoglycemia. Concurrently, dulaglutide suppresses glucagon secretion from pancreatic alpha cells, which helps to reduce hepatic glucose production. Another key mechanism is the slowing of gastric emptying, which delays glucose absorption into the bloodstream after a meal, leading to a more controlled post-prandial glucose response. Additionally, GLP-1 receptor activation in the brain contributes to increased satiety and reduced appetite, which can lead to decreased caloric intake and subsequent weight loss. These multifaceted actions collectively contribute to improved glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes. (FDA label, PubChem)
Source for this section: Sources for How does Dulaglutide work?: Jumps to this entry in the sources and references list at the end of the page.
Dulaglutide offers several significant benefits for individuals with type 2 diabetes. Its primary benefit is improved glycemic control, evidenced by reductions in HbA1c levels. This is achieved through its glucose-dependent insulinotropic effects, glucagon suppression, and delayed gastric emptying. Beyond glycemic control, dulaglutide has demonstrated cardiovascular benefits. Clinical trials have shown that it significantly reduces the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke) in adults with type 2 diabetes who have established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors. This makes it a valuable option for managing diabetes in patients at high cardiovascular risk. Additionally, many individuals experience weight loss as a secondary benefit of dulaglutide treatment. This weight reduction is thought to be mediated by its effects on satiety and gastric emptying, leading to reduced caloric intake. (FDA label, Mayo Clinic)
The efficacy and safety of dulaglutide have been established through a comprehensive clinical trial program. The AWARD (Assessment of Weekly AdministRation of Dulaglutide) clinical trial program investigated dulaglutide's impact on glycemic control (HbA1c) as monotherapy and in combination with other antidiabetic agents. These trials consistently showed significant reductions in HbA1c compared to placebo and some active comparators. For instance, the AWARD-1 trial demonstrated superior HbA1c reduction with dulaglutide compared to exenatide. The cardiovascular benefits of dulaglutide were primarily demonstrated in the REWIND (Researching cardiovascular Events with a Weekly IMproved GLP-1 Receptor Agonist in Type 2 Diabetes) trial. This large, randomized, placebo-controlled trial enrolled over 9,900 participants with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors. The REWIND trial showed that dulaglutide significantly reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 12% compared to placebo over a median follow-up of 5.4 years. The weight loss effects have also been observed across various trials, with participants typically experiencing modest but clinically relevant weight reductions. (FDA label, Cochrane)
Common side effects of dulaglutide include gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. These effects are usually mild to moderate and tend to decrease over time as the body adjusts to the medication. Other common side effects can include decreased appetite, dyspepsia, and fatigue. Some individuals may experience injection site reactions, such as redness or itching. These are typically mild and transient. Less common but more serious side effects can include acute pancreatitis, gallbladder problems (cholelithiasis, cholecystitis), kidney problems (including worsening of chronic renal failure or acute renal failure, sometimes requiring hemodialysis), and severe allergic reactions. Patients should seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as severe abdominal pain or signs of a serious allergic reaction. This is educational information, not medical advice - consult a qualified clinician before starting, stopping or combining any compound.
Dulaglutide carries several important warnings. It is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), due to a potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumors observed in rodent studies. While the relevance of this finding to humans is unknown, appropriate screening is recommended. Patients should be counseled on the symptoms of thyroid tumors (e.g., a lump in the neck, dysphagia, dyspnea, persistent hoarseness). Dulaglutide has been associated with an increased risk of pancreatitis; patients should be monitored for symptoms such as persistent severe abdominal pain, which may or may not radiate to the back, and vomiting. If pancreatitis is suspected, dulaglutide should be discontinued. Cholelithiasis and cholecystitis have been reported with GLP-1 RAs; if these are suspected, gallbladder studies and appropriate clinical follow-up are indicated. Renal impairment, including acute renal failure, may occur, sometimes requiring hemodialysis. This risk may be increased in patients experiencing severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions leading to dehydration. Dulaglutide is not indicated for use in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus or for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis. There is also a risk of hypoglycemia, particularly when dulaglutide is used in combination with an insulin secretagogue (like a sulfonylurea) or insulin. The dose of an insulin secretagogue or insulin may need to be reduced. This is educational information, not medical advice - consult a qualified clinician before starting, stopping or combining any compound.
Dulaglutide is contraindicated in individuals with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). These contraindications are based on findings from animal studies and the potential for thyroid C-cell tumors. It is also contraindicated in patients with a history of a serious hypersensitivity reaction to dulaglutide or any components of its formulation. Patients who have had severe gastrointestinal disease (e.g., severe gastroparesis) should use dulaglutide with caution, as delayed gastric emptying is part of its mechanism of action and could exacerbate these conditions. Dulaglutide is not indicated for use in type 1 diabetes or for diabetic ketoacidosis. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are also considerations; animal studies have shown reproductive toxicity, and dulaglutide should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. It is advised to discontinue dulaglutide at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy. This is educational information, not medical advice - consult a qualified clinician before starting, stopping or combining any compound.
Dulaglutide should be used with caution, and potential drug interactions should be considered, when co-administered with drugs that require rapid gastrointestinal absorption. Since dulaglutide slows gastric emptying, it has the potential to affect the absorption rates of concomitantly administered oral medications, though clinically meaningful interactions requiring dose adjustment are considered low in most cases. However, patients taking orally administered medications with a narrow therapeutic index or requiring rapid onset of action should be monitored closely. If dulaglutide is used with insulin or an insulin secretagogue (e.g., sulfonylurea), the risk of hypoglycemia is increased, and a dose reduction of the insulin or secretagogue may be necessary. Patients should not self-adjust doses of any medication without consulting their healthcare provider. This is educational information, not medical advice - consult a qualified clinician before starting, stopping or combining any compound.
Dulaglutide is administered once weekly via subcutaneous injection. The user-directed dose and specific day of the week for administration must be set by a licensed clinician. It can be injected at any time of day, with or without meals. It is recommended to choose a specific day of the week and administer the injection on that day each week. If a dose is missed, it should be administered as soon as possible, provided there are at least 3 days (72 hours) until the next scheduled dose. If less than 3 days remain until the next scheduled dose, the missed dose should be skipped, and the regular weekly dosing schedule should be resumed. The injection site should be rotated with each dose to avoid potential skin reactions.
Source for this section: Sources for When should you take Dulaglutide?: Jumps to this entry in the sources and references list at the end of the page.
Put it into practice
Reading about Dulaglutide is the first step — DoseRoutine helps you act on it. These free tools turn what you just learned into a routine.
What interacts with Dulaglutide?
| Interacts with | Severity | Type | What happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any glp1 + supplement | Note | Category ruleConfidence: theoretical | GLP-1 medications slow stomach emptying, changing how/when oral supplements absorb; rapid weight loss raises the importance of protein and micronutrients.Source pending | Time oral supplements when nausea is lowest; prioritize protein and micronutrients; discuss with your provider. |
| Insulin (Rapid) | Caution | Compound pairConfidence: theoretical | Combining a GLP-1 with rapid insulin increases hypoglycemia risk.Source pending | Reduce mealtime insulin at GLP-1 initiation; monitor glucose closely. |
| Insulin (Long-Acting) | Caution | Compound pairConfidence: theoretical | GLP-1 plus basal insulin increases hypoglycemia risk.Source pending | Reduce basal insulin dose 10–20% at GLP-1 initiation and titrate. |
Frequently asked questions about Dulaglutide
Dulaglutide (Trulicity) is primarily used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is also approved to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack or stroke, in adults with type 2 diabetes who have established heart disease or multiple risk factors for heart disease.
Dulaglutide is administered as a subcutaneous injection once a week. The injection can be given in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Your healthcare provider will show you how to properly administer the injection.
Yes, weight loss is a common side effect of dulaglutide in many individuals. This is due to its effects on slowing gastric emptying and promoting a feeling of fullness, which can lead to reduced food intake. However, it is not specifically approved as a weight-loss medication.
If you miss a dose of dulaglutide, take it as soon as possible if there are at least 3 days (72 hours) remaining before your next scheduled dose. If there are fewer than 3 days until your next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your regular weekly schedule.
There are no specific foods that are strictly prohibited while taking dulaglutide. However, because dulaglutide can slow gastric emptying, very rich or greasy meals might worsen digestive side effects like nausea. Maintaining a balanced diet as recommended by your doctor or dietitian is always advisable for diabetes management.
Interaction risk for Dulaglutide comes from the rest of the stack: other supplements, prescription medicines, hormone therapy and peptides. With a reported plasma half-life near 108 hours, separating doses can change the picture as much as removing one. Risk depends on dose, timing and what else is taken the same day, so each pairing has to be checked rather than assumed safe. The free checker at https://doseroutine.com/interaction-checker covers Dulaglutide with no sign-up.
There is no single answer for Dulaglutide plus TRT. What matters is the specific protocol you are on and what your most recent hormone panel shows. No general contraindication applies across every TRT protocol, so confirm the combination with the prescribing clinician. See the free TRT interaction reference: https://doseroutine.com/trt-supplement-interactions
Pairing Dulaglutide with peptides has to be assessed one peptide at a time, because GLP-1 agonists, secretagogues, healing peptides and melanocortins do not share an interaction profile. Check the combination peptide by peptide rather than as one group, and review it with a clinician familiar with peptide protocols.
A long plasma half-life of about 108 hours means Dulaglutide is commonly dosed every few days or weekly rather than daily. Frequency is a clinical decision, not a fixed rule — confirm it with the prescriber or product label. Comparison of apps that keep a schedule like this: https://doseroutine.com/best-dose-tracking-apps
For an injectable like Dulaglutide the record needs more than a checkbox: vial concentration, the measured volume, and which site the last injection went into. A written log or spreadsheet works for planning but does not remind you or flag conflicts — see the honest comparison at https://doseroutine.com/vs/spreadsheet and the wider roundup at https://doseroutine.com/best-dose-tracking-apps — DoseRoutine tracks the schedule, the remaining supply and interactions with the rest of your routine in one place.
REWIND used 1.5 mg once weekly; labels describe 0.75 mg up to 4.5 mg once weekly. Route reported: Subcutaneous injection. Frequency reported: Once weekly, on the same day each week. These are amounts documented in the cited studies and labels for Dulaglutide — they are reported for reference, not a recommendation. Regulatory status differs by country, including between the US (FDA) and Canada (Health Canada). Confirm any amount with a licensed clinician before you take it.
Which studies looked at Dulaglutide?
Peer-reviewed research indexed in PubMed. Each entry links to the original record.
- 1.Cardiovascular Outcomes with Tirzepatide versus Dulaglutide in Type 2 Diabetes(opens PubMed in a new tab)N Engl J Med · 2025 · PMID 41406444 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41406444/
- 2.Dulaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes (REWIND): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial(opens PubMed in a new tab)Lancet · 2019 · PMID 31189511 · https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31189511/
Sources cited on this page
Specific documents referenced by the numbered markers above. Each number matches the marker in the text.
- PubChem CID 171042928(opens in a new tab)National Center for Biotechnology Information · pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/171042928
Verify at
Publisher search links for Dulaglutide. These are places to check the information — they are not citations, so they are not numbered.
- FDA-approved labeling (DailyMed)(publisher search, opens in a new tab)U.S. Food and Drug Administration · publisher search
- DrugBank(publisher search, opens in a new tab)DrugBank Online · publisher search
- Mayo Clinic(publisher search, opens in a new tab)Mayo Clinic · publisher search
- Cochrane Library(publisher search, opens in a new tab)Cochrane · publisher search
- PubMed literature search(publisher search, opens in a new tab)National Library of Medicine · publisher search
- Wikipedia entry(publisher search, opens in a new tab)Wikipedia · publisher search
DoseRoutine compiles summaries from publicly available scientific and regulatory references. Always verify important decisions with a licensed clinician. How we source and review this information.
What is the short answer on Dulaglutide?
Plain-text summary, safe to quote verbatim:
Dulaglutide, marketed under the brand name Trulicity, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Research on Dulaglutide focuses on blood sugar control and weight loss.
Source: DoseRoutine — https://doseroutine.com/library/dulaglutide
Dulaglutide cheat sheet
DoseRoutine cheat sheet · Glp1
Dulaglutide
Dulaglutide, marketed under the brand name Trulicity, is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Evidence
Moderate
One published human randomized trial; results not yet replicated.
Studied range
REWIND used 1.5 mg once weekly; labels describe 0.75 mg up to 4.5 mg once weekly
Route
Subcutaneous injection
Frequency studied
Once weekly, on the same day each week
Half-life
~108 h
Storage
Refrigerated; single-dose pens may be kept at room temperature for a limited period per the label
Prescription only (US)Blood SugarWeight Loss
Studied ranges, not dosing advice. Not medical advice — talk to a clinician. doseroutine.com/library/dulaglutide
Cite this page
Using this in an article, AI answer, or research note? Please attribute:
DoseRoutine. (2026). Dulaglutide — Overview, Benefits & Side Effects. Retrieved from https://doseroutine.com/library/dulaglutide
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