Should We All Be Microdosing GLP-1s?

The murky middle of the Ozempic era.

Photo by Kai Dahms via Unsplash.

At the Canyon Ranch Enchant Festival a few weeks ago, I’d just wrapped my talk on what I call the big rocks of wellness—sleep, strength and cardio, stress management, social connection, and nutrition. Then came the Q&A portion of the hour. Hands shot up. The attendees were eager to ask about something I didn’t discuss in my presentation. They wanted to talk about GLP-1s. (And creatine. It tracks!)

The wonder drugs. The lightning rods. The dinner-party debate that just won’t quit.

Twelve percent of U.S. adults have used a GLP-1 medication and 6% are currently taking one, according to the most recent Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll. But the chatter has evolved: it’s no longer “Who are they for?” but “Should I be microdosing one?”

I answered honestly. One, I am not a doctor. Two, I need to do a lot more research on microdosing specifically. Three, your medication and care plan should be a collaboration between you and your clinician.

But I am a journalist. Since that retreat, I’ve been deep in the weeds researching dosing and off-label use cases for these medications, as well as texting my doctor friends my questions. And, as you’ll see below, interviewing Dr. Poonam Desai, a double-board-certified physician, founder of Longevity Place in New York City and Scarsdale, creator of the Her Longevity Summit, and soon, host of her own longevity podcast. (She’s also a mom, and gets after it in the weight room.)

Dr. Desai’s practice helps patients optimize their healthspan through prevention, precision testing, and evidence-based interventions like GLP-1 receptor agonists. And yes, microdosing. Let’s get into the who, what, where, when, and why…