‘Microdosing’ GLP-1s can shed pounds, but here are the dangers

Celebrities such as "Real Housewives" executive producer Andy Cohen and "Pitch Perfect" star Rebel Wilson have touted microdosing GLP-1 weight loss drugs as a quick path to better health.

Yet medical evidence backing claims of effective use of smaller doses of the prescription weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Zepbound is limited, experts say.

New research sheds some light on potential dangers and benefits of taking smaller-than-recommended doses of the popular medications. A study evaluated two similar-sized groups who took and maintained low starter doses of the popular weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Zepbound, rather than following drugmaker recommendations to gradually increase doses until reaching a Food and Drug Administration-approved maintenance level.

Researchers compared data on two groups each with more than 500 people who were prescribed three fills of semaglutide or tirzepatide over six months. Study participants took starter doses of .25 milligram of semaglutide, sold by Novo Nordisk under the brand name Wegovy, or a 2.5-milligram dose of tirzepatide, sold by Eli Lilly under the brand Zepbound.

Over one year, study participants on tirzepatide lost average weight of 5.5% while semaglutide users lost average weight of 2.2%, according to the study published Aug. 31 in Biology Methods & Protocols. The average…

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