The semaglutide 4-week dose-escalation interval is approximately 5 half-lives — long enough for the new dose to reach steady state before the next bump. Faster titration outruns clearance and stacks side effects.
FDA guidance on semaglutide recommends discontinuation ≥2 months before planned conception. That's roughly 9 half-lives — well past the 5% washout threshold. Long-half-life drugs are unforgiving here.
Short-half-life GH-releasers (Ipamorelin, GHRP-2) are dosed multiple times daily because the pulse — not the steady level — is therapeutic. Steady-state arithmetic doesn't fully describe them. Background on peptide pharmacology.
This uses linear (first-order) pharmacokinetics. Most drugs and peptides at therapeutic doses follow this. Saturable metabolism, deep-compartment redistribution, and protein-binding effects can deviate from the model — confirm with the drug's published PK data for high-stakes decisions.