Hormonal · Dosing reference

Teriparatide dosage

Dosing as the FDA label states it, how long trials ran, and the arithmetic for working with vials.

FDA-approvedAHuman trial evidenceFDA label

Full research page Cycle-length evidence Compare Prefer Amiravo on Google

Regulatory status: FDA-approved
Human amounts: 20 micrograms once daily
Route studied: Subcutaneous injection
Frequency: Once daily
Half-life: Approximately 1 hour
Evidence grade: Grade A · Human trial evidence
Vial sizes on the market: Not recorded
Other forms seen: —

What Teriparatide is

Teriparatide is recombinant human parathyroid hormone (1-34), FDA-approved as Forteo and as generic and 505(b)(2) products for osteoporosis at high fracture risk in postmenopausal women, men, and people on long-term glucocorticoids.

Endogenous PTH is the primary regulator of calcium and phosphate metabolism in bone and kidney. Teriparatide binds the same high-affinity cell-surface receptors as the 34 N-terminal amino acids of PTH with the same affinity and physiological actions ^1. Exposure pattern Once-daily administration stimulates new bone formation on trabecular and cortical surfaces by preferential stimulation of osteoblastic over… How it works →

Key evidence

Neer et al., N Engl J Med · 2001 · Humans (1,637 postmenopausal women with prior vertebral fractures)
New vertebral fractures 14% placebo versus 5% and 4% with the two teriparatide doses (RR 0.35 and 0.31); nonvertebral fragility fractures 6% versus 3% ^2. ²
Kendler et al., Lancet (VERO, NCT01709110) · 2018 · Humans (1,360 postmenopausal women with severe osteoporosis)
New vertebral fractures 5.4% versus 12.0% (RR 0.44); clinical fractures 4.8% versus 9.8%; non-vertebral fragility fractures 4.0% versus 6.1% (not significant) ^3. ³
Forteo prescribing information, Section 14.2 (men) · 2026 · Humans (437 men with primary or hypogonadal osteoporosis)
Lumbar spine BMD +5.9% versus +0.5% with placebo ^1. ¹

All studies on the research page

Schedules by time period

Label regimens and laid out week by week. Each bar is what the label states or what investigators gave participants; none is a recommendation.

FDA label

Forteo (FDA label): dosing ¹

Adults with osteoporosis at high fracture risk

Teriparatide

SC · once daily

Week-by-week table

Period	Amount
Weeks 0–onward	20 mcg (maintenance)

Single fixed dosage; no escalation.

Lifetime use beyond 2 years only if fracture risk remains high.

Dosing as stated on the FDA label

The recommended dosage is 20 micrograms subcutaneously once a day, with supplemental calcium and vitamin D if dietary intake is inadequate ^1.
Use for more than 2 years during a patient's lifetime should only be considered if the patient remains at or has returned to high fracture risk ^1.
Not approved for intravenous or intramuscular use; initial doses should be given where the patient can sit or lie down in case of orthostatic hypotension. Other administration instructions are in the label and are not reproduced here ^1.

How long did human studies run?

No human study durations are recorded for Teriparatide.

Cycle-length evidence for Teriparatide

Side effects reported in studies

Arthralgia
10.1% versus 8.4% placebo · Two principal osteoporosis trials, women and men (n=691 each arm) ¹
Nausea
8.5% versus 6.7% · Same trials ¹
Dizziness
8.0% versus 5.4% · Same trials ¹
Asthenia
8.7% versus 6.8% · Same trials ¹
Leg cramps
2.6% versus 1.3% · Same trials ¹
Syncope
2.6% versus 1.4% · Same trials ¹
Transient hypercalcemia 4-6 hours post-dose
11% of women and 6% of men versus 2% and 0% with placebo · Clinical trials ¹
Symptomatic orthostatic hypotension
5% of volunteers · Short-term studies in healthy volunteers ¹

Full adverse-event data

Supplies and handling

Lyophilized vial
Sealed vial with the freeze-dried cake. Check the label, lot and the certificate of analysis before opening.
Sterile diluent
The diluent named on the product documentation. Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol; sterile water does not.
Graduated syringes
Sized to the volume being measured. U-100 insulin syringes are graduated in units where 100 units = 1 mL.
Alcohol prep pads
For wiping vial stoppers before each puncture.
Nitrile gloves
Clean gloves for aseptic handling.
Sharps container
Puncture-resistant container for used needles.

Step-by-step reconstitution guide Storage and transport accessories

Storage

The Forteo label directs storage under refrigeration at 2-8°C at all times except during administration, protected from light, not frozen; the pen is discarded 28 days after first use ^1.

Lyophilized (unmixed) vials: typically stored cold and dry, away from light, as the documentation directs. Many are stable longer frozen.
Reconstituted vials: typically refrigerated (about 2–8 °C), protected from light and not frozen.
Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol, which inhibits bacterial growth in multi-use vials; sterile water has no preservative.

Handling mistakes and troubleshooting

Added the wrong volume of diluent: The concentration changes, not the amount of compound in the vial. Recalculate with the volume actually added and relabel the vial.
Shook the vial and it foamed: Let it settle in the refrigerator. Foam is a sign of agitation; some peptides aggregate when shaken. Note it on the label.
The solution is cloudy or has particles: Do not use it. Cloudiness can indicate incomplete dissolution, contamination or degradation. Record the lot and contact the supplier with the certificate of analysis.
The powder cake looks melted or shrunken before reconstitution: This can indicate the vial was exposed to heat or moisture. Record the lot and condition on arrival.
Liquid sprayed back when the needle was removed: Pressure built up in the vial. Withdraw a small volume of air while adding diluent to keep pressure neutral.

Regulatory status

Status: FDA-approved; the Forteo label gives initial U.S. approval 1987. As of 2026-10-24 Drugs@FDA lists Forteo (NDA 021318), Bonsity and several generic teriparatide products with prescription marketing status; Parathar is discontinued ^1,4.
United States (FDA): FDA-approved (label initial U.S. approval 1987). Drugs@FDA lists Forteo (NDA 021318), Bonsity (NDA 211939), NDA 218771 and generic ANDAs from Apotex, Amphastar and Teva with prescription marketing status as of 2026-10-24 ^1,4.
Sport (WADA): Parathyroid hormone analogs, including teriparatide, were not mentioned on the WADA 2026 Prohibited List page reviewed ^6.

Status varies by country and changes over time. How we describe regulatory status.

Teriparatide compared with related compounds

Compound	Status	Evidence	Human amounts	Half-life
Teriparatide	FDA-approved	A	FDA label	Approximately 1 hour
NAD+	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	—
Kisspeptin-54	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	About 28 minutes (intravenous, healthy m
Apelin-13	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	Not located as a numeric value in the so
hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin)	FDA-approved	A	FDA label	About 29 hours (recombinant hCG, subcuta
Octreotide	FDA-approved	A	FDA label	1.7-1.9 hours (injection)

Frequently asked questions

What doses of Teriparatide have been studied in humans?

Teriparatide is FDA-approved, so the label states the dosing for the approved product. This page quotes it, with citations. It does not apply to research-grade material.

Is there an established Teriparatide cycle length?

No. We found no human studies that report treatment duration for Teriparatide.

How much bacteriostatic water should be added to a Teriparatide vial?

There is no compound-specific volume. The diluent volume only sets the concentration: concentration = mass in the vial ÷ volume added (for example, 10 mg in 2 mL gives 5 mg/mL). The calculator on this page shows the arithmetic for any combination.

How many units is a given amount on an insulin syringe?

On a U-100 syringe, 100 units = 1 mL. Units for an amount = amount ÷ (concentration per unit). The calculator converts any amount you enter at the concentration you choose; a unit is a volume mark, not an amount of compound.

What is the half-life of Teriparatide?

Approximately 1 hour

Is Teriparatide FDA-approved?

FDA-approved. FDA-approved; the Forteo label gives initial U.S. approval 1987. As of 2026-10-24 Drugs@FDA lists Forteo (NDA 021318), Bonsity and several generic teriparatide products with prescription marketing status; Parathar is discontinued ^1,4.

References

FORTEO (teriparatide injection), for subcutaneous use, prescribing information (DailyMed, effective 08/2026) FDA label (DailyMed). 2026
Effect of parathyroid hormone (1-34) on fractures and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis N Engl J Med. 2001
Effects of teriparatide and risedronate on new fractures in post-menopausal women with severe osteoporosis (VERO): a multicentre, double-blind, double-dummy, randomised controlled trial Lancet. 2018
Drugs@FDA (openFDA) application records for teriparatide (NDA 021318 and others) U.S. FDA. 2026
UniProtKB P01270, Parathyroid hormone (human) UniProt. 2026
World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List 2026 (online version) WADA. 2026
PubChem compound record for teriparatide PubChem. 2026

Last reviewed October 24, 2026 by the Amiravo editorial team. Editorial policy · Report an error