Why Are People Microdosing GLP-1 Drugs?
There are several potential reasons for taking smaller GLP-1 doses than the amounts that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved. Sometimes doctors prescribe smaller amounts, but some GLP-1 users decide to microdose on their own.
Microdosing started as a trend amid medication shortages in 2021, as users became eager to keep taking GLP-1 injections despite their widespread unavailability. Taking smaller amounts allowed people to stretch out their supply.
“If someone has intolerable side effects at a standard dose, I may adjust downward to maintain benefit without overwhelming the body,” Dr. Pinto says.
Regina DePietro, MD, a family medicine physician at MU Health Care in Columbia, Missouri, says that people also may microdose GLP-1s if they only want to lose a small amount of weight. The medications can also help quiet food noise, or constant thoughts about food.
Using GLP-1s only for these purposes may pose a challenge: You may not receive a prescription or insurance coverage for GLP-1s unless you have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher or 27 or higher alongside obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
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