Microdosing Semaglutide: Can Small Doses Offer Big Metabolic Benefits?

It’s time for us to broaden the conversation around semaglutide.

I don’t recommend long term, high doses of semaglutide, nor do I recommend relying on any one miracle drug to lose weight or improve your health.

But here’s the thing. Sometimes it’s not just about the tool, it’s about how and why you’re using it. Semaglutide can have a place within a well-rounded metabolic healing protocol.

And microdosing semaglutide may actually offer surprising health benefits both for and beyond metabolism.

In this article, I’ll explore those benefits, how to work with semaglutide temporarily while restoring your body’s natural GLP-1 production, risks and side effects to be mindful of, and more answers to the most common questions I get about this therapy.

An Overview of Semaglutide, Peptide Therapy, and GLP-1

Semaglutide (sold under brand names Ozempic and Wegovy), originally used to help manage blood sugar levels for some type 2 diabetics, has soared in popularity as a “wonder drug” for obesity and weight loss.

Taking a step back, semaglutide is a peptide (a short chain of amino acids).

Peptides can be used therapeutically in all kinds of different ways to support biological processes. They work by binding to specific kinds of cell receptors and triggering a response. Essentially, they’re encouraging your body to do something it already does naturally.

Semaglutide specifically binds to GLP-1 receptors (it’s categorized as a GLP-1 receptor agonist). It mimics the hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), which the body naturally produces when we eat.

When semaglutide binds with GLP-1 receptors, it triggers several actions, most significantly:

• It tells your brain that you’re full;
• It tells your pancreas to release insulin;
• It slows down the gastric emptying process, keeping you full for longer.

These actions make it clear why semaglutide is so popular both as a weight loss drug and for blood sugar management – and there’s no arguing that they’re effective for a lot of people.

But the catch with Ozempic and related medications is that if you’re using them alone, you generally have to keep taking them forever in order to maintain results. They’re expensive, often not covered by insurance, and when used over the long term, come with the risk of several side effects including muscle loss, gastrointestinal problems, pancreatitis, and kidney damage.

And while you might lose weight while taking them, you also may be masking an underlying health problem that was causing your weight loss resistance in the first place.

A Different Approach to Semaglutide

I’ve spoken critically about Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists before. But my issue isn’t with the medication itself, it’s with the way it’s commonly used and marketed – as a one-stop miracle drug for weight loss.

As I mentioned above, I don’t recommend taking high doses over a long period of time for several reasons – mostly the risk of side effects and the fact that it’s really just a band-aid treatment when used this way.

One of my main concerns with the way semaglutide is commonly used is that we’re not addressing the underlying metabolic issue.

Why is the body not producing enough GLP-1, or not responding to it? For whole body healing and wellbeing, we need to address that “why”.

But it doesn’t have to be either/or.

This is where microdosing (taking low doses) comes in. Microdosing semaglutide can help to kickstart improvements in metabolic and hormonal function while you simultaneously work on supporting your body’s natural processes.

Then, as your body begins to heal and restore its state of healthy function, you can start to taper off the peptide.

Does Microdosing Semaglutide Work?

One of the most common questions people ask about microdosing semaglutide is whether it works. The answer is that it can absolutely be effective and beneficial, but it’s not going to work the same way as macrodosing (taking larger/full doses).

I have seen some people in the medical world be critical of microdosing GLP-1 receptor agonists because it hasn’t been proven to be as effective as taking high doses.

This kind of misses the point.

Is microdosing going to have the exact same effects as macrodosing, when no other steps are taken? Are you likely to drop the same number of pounds when taking a lower dose and making zero lifestyle changes? Well, probably not.

But with microdosing, ideally we’re not just taking a smaller dose, we’re taking a different approach. We’re using peptide therapy with semaglutide as one tool in the toolbox, and pairing it with holistic strategies for metabolic, hormonal, and whole body health.

In my experience, when using semaglutide microdosing in a thoughtful way, it can be a very effective tool.

Who is Microdosing Semaglutide Right For?

Microdosing semaglutide isn’t for everyone. Typically when a doctor prescribes a full or standard dose of a medication like Ozempic, it’s because the standard methods for weight loss and/or blood sugar management haven’t been working.

The same guideline applies to microdosing. I wouldn’t recommend it as the first thing you try if you’re looking to improve your metabolism or lose a bit of extra weight.

But if you’re eating a generally healthy diet, exercising regularly, and you’re not noticing a change (or in some cases, if you’re too exhausted to do some of the things you want to do to benefit your health), microdosing may be an appropriate tool.

Microdosing semaglutide is also best for those who are motivated to do the real work of healing, and not just looking for a quick fix.

Benefits of Semaglutide

There are several possible benefits of semaglutide, and they’re not all related to weight management. Note that research is mostly on macrodosing (very little research has been done on lower doses of semaglutide).

Here are a few of the most promising ones:

• Semaglutide can improve appetite control, gastric emptying, and weight loss. Most of the best known benefits relate to semaglutide’s impact on appetite and weight loss. This peptide can help to more effectively signal that you’re full, and slow the emptying of food from your stomach, keeping you feeling full for longer. Several studies have found semaglutide to be effective for weight loss. (1)
• Semaglutide can improve blood sugar control. The original use of semaglutide was to help regulate blood glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity, and research has shown it can be very effective here. (2)
• Semaglutide helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. Obesity or being overweight are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and events like heart attacks, and semaglutide has been shown to help reduce the risk of these occurrences. (3)
• Semaglutide may help reduce Alzheimer’s risk. A recent study found that semaglutide was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s for those with type 2 diabetes, when compared with those who were taking other diabetes drugs. (4) These neuroprotective benefits likely relate back to semaglutide’s positive impact on insulin signaling – Alzheimer’s is increasingly associated with insulin resistance and is sometimes referred to as type 3 diabetes.
• Semaglutide may help to reduce inflammation. While it’s less talked about, it makes sense that semaglutide can have a positive influence on inflammation and immune system function. (5) When we improve metabolism, insulin signaling, and blood sugar control, we’re improving the way the whole body functions.

We’ll likely continue to see more research into different benefits of semaglutide due to the cascade of positive effects that can come from improving metabolism.

LISTEN: The Silent Saboteur To Sustainable Weight Loss + Hidden Links To Healthy Metabolism 

Side Effects and Risks of Semaglutide

There are a number of risks associated with long term use of semaglutide. (6) Again, research has focused on larger doses (and generally longer term use). Risks of side effects and health complications are likely reduced when taking smaller amounts and for a shorter period of time.

Still, it’s important to be aware of the possible risks and drawbacks, and (as we’ll explore below) to do what we can to mitigate them.

Possible risks and side effects of semaglutide may include:

• Gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g. stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, or vomiting)
• Muscle loss
• Gallbladder issues
• Low blood sugar
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• Changes in vision
• Thyroid tumors

A Simple Guide to Microdosing Semaglutide

Microdosing semaglutide will look a bit different for everybody – the exact dose, timeline, and other components of a protocol should be customized to your specific case (we can work with you on this at our functional medicine telehealth clinic).

But here are a few key things to keep in mind.

Find Your Lowest Dose

Again, the right dosage varies from person to person, but the rule of thumb is that you’re looking for the lowest possible dose that starts to move the needle and kickstart positive physiological and metabolic changes.

For example, if you start to notice that you’re feeling full for a little bit longer, or having fewer cravings throughout the day, the needle is moving!

At this point, rather than going for a higher and higher dose, you’re focusing on using different tools (more on these below) to naturally support your metabolism, while continuing to microdose cautiously for a short period of time (until more of your natural balance has been restored).

Support Natural GLP-1 Production

There are several things you can do to support your body’s natural GLP-1 secretion, including:

• Eat plenty of GLP-1-boosting foods including lean proteins like eggs and wild-caught fish, healthy fats like olive oil and avocado, and fermentable fibers like artichokes and asparagus.
• Try intermittent fasting, which has been shown to influence GLP-1 levels (and support metabolism in other ways). (7)
• Get regular exercise (and regular sleep). These strategies for overall health and metabolic function are also important for GLP-1 production specifically.
• Try GLP-1 boosting supplements like berberine (sometimes called “nature’s Ozempic”), psyllium, and/or curcumin.

Follow these strategies alongside your microdosing protocol to naturally reduce GLP-1 resistance and support GLP-1 release.

Restore Your Metabolic Function

If you’ve been struggling with weight loss resistance, blood sugar control, and/or other metabolic issues, there is likely an underlying reason.

When we can identify and treat that underlying cause, we can work to more thoroughly restore metabolic function so that you don’t just see all of your problems returning when you stop microdosing.

Often, a gut health imbalance or hormonal imbalance is at the root of a metabolic issue. A functional medicine practitioner can help you get to the bottom of it and come up with a personalized plan for healing.

Other strategies like intermittent fasting can also help to improve metabolism (you can learn about my approach to fasting for metabolic flexibility in my book Intuitive Fasting).

READ NEXT: Which Foods Might Be Helping Or Hurting Your Metabolism? 

Support Your Body Through the Process

Given the potential side effects associated with semaglutide, it’s important to support your body throughout the process of taking it, even if you’re just taking a very small amount.

Here are a few ways you can do this:

• Incorporate strength training into your protocol and make sure to eat adequate protein to support lean muscle mass.
• Support your gut health with the help of probiotic and prebiotic foods (and/or consider a probiotic supplement).
• Check in with your body as you go along. Our bodies are always sending us signals, and it’s up to us to listen! Pay attention to any negative changes or effects you notice, however subtle, and discuss them with your trusted healthcare provider.

The Bottom Line on Microdosing Semaglutide

Microdosing semaglutide is an approach to restoring metabolism and achieving sustained weight loss that pairs scientific advancements and modern tools with tapping into your body’s natural processes for healing.

If you’re interested in microdosing semaglutide, it’s best to work with an integrative or functional medicine practitioner who can customize a treatment plan for you. At our telehealth clinic, we work with various microdosing protocols for semaglutide and other peptide therapies, and we’re with you the whole way through.

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.