If you’ve heard people talking about “microdosing” Ozempic or other GLP-1 medications, you’re not alone. Ever since the concept was introduced by my friend Dr. Tyna Moore two years ago, it’s been a hot topic in health and weight loss.
But you might be surprised to learn that many people who say they’re microdosing… actually aren’t.
A true microdose can be dramatically lower than the standard starting dose. In some cases, it may be as little as one-fifth, one-tenth, or even less of the typical starting dose.
And here’s the interesting part: the goal of true microdosing isn’t necessarily weight loss.
GLP-1 medications may have effects throughout the body that go far beyond suppressing appetite and slowing digestion. GLP-1 receptors are found in multiple tissues, including the brain and immune system, and researchers are investigating their potential effects on inflammation, metabolic health, cardiovascular health, kidney function, and even muscle.
This is one reason I think we need to stop thinking of GLP-1 medications simply as “weight-loss drugs.”
What About Muscle Loss While on a GLP-1?
If you are taking a GLP-1 and losing weight, you want to make sure you’re losing fat yet not unnecessarily sacrificing muscle.
So, does taking a GLP-1 medication for weight loss cause you to lose more muscle than you would if you lost it without the medication? This claim that some people make is misleading. Many of the studies reporting “lean mass loss” with GLP-1 medications used DEXA scans, which measure much more than muscle. Lean mass includes organs, connective tissue, water, and other soft tissues.
That doesn’t mean muscle loss can’t happen. Any significant weight loss can result in some muscle loss, particularly if you aren’t actively protecting it.
The solution?
Protein. Strength training. And a slower, more thoughtful approach to weight loss.
For most people, strength training several times a week is one of the best things you can do to preserve muscle as you age—and this becomes even more important when you’re losing weight.
What About Women Who Are Peri- or Post Menopausal?
Hormone replacement therapy may help with many symptoms of menopause and can improve body composition in some women, but it shouldn’t be viewed as a weight-loss treatment. If you’ve gained 15 or 20 pounds during menopause, simply starting HRT is unlikely to make that weight disappear.
For that, women need to make diet and lifestyle changes, with many using GLP-1 medications as a way to assist them in that goal.
The future of GLP-1 medications is fascinating. But I think the biggest lesson is this:
The goal shouldn’t simply be to weigh less. It should be to become healthier, stronger, and metabolically healthier while you lose the fat.
That’s a very different approach and one that I discuss with Dr. Tyna on my latest podcast, titled The Truth About GLP-1 Microdosing (What Everyone Gets Wrong). We cover everything you need to know about GLP-1’s and weight loss, microdosing, menopause, and more.
To listen on Apple devices, click HERE. To listen on Spotify, click HERE.
