Weighing the risks of microdosing GLP-1 drugs

GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have spurred off-label microdosing, with an estimated one in seven users having tried it.

Supervised microdosing may help optimize therapy, especially for 'super responders' or maintenance, but evidence is largely anecdotal.

Unsupervised microdosing is common—one survey suggests 55% of microdosers are 'lone rangers'—raising safety concerns.

Microdosers often use syringes or click-counting on pens, risking contamination, dosing errors, and use beyond the 30-60 day shelf life.

Full-dose studies show cardiovascular benefits; there is no evidence that lower doses provide the same effects.