Microdosing Wegovy: A guide to the growing trend

Whether you’re taking Paracetamol, antibiotics or vitamin supplements, all medications come with either a prescribed or recommended dose.

This might come packaged for you as a tablet, be a liquid or powder you measure yourself, or, in the case of Wegovy, pre-measured in an easy-to-use injection pen.

Following the instructions of your doctor or healthcare professional is vital to using any medication and supplement safely, but there is often room for conversation in how much you take and when you take it.

Recent trends around microdosing certain drugs and medications have opened up discussion around whether or not you can still get the benefits of a medication while taking less than what your doctor may have prescribed, and here, we’ll unpack what that means and what that may look like when it comes to weight loss medication.  

What is microdosing and how does it relate to Wegovy?

You’ll most often hear the term microdosing when it comes to certain psychedelic medications, and it’s generally understood to involve taking a very small fraction of a drug – too little to get high or experience a trip – to reduce stress and anxiety, and increase mood, creativity and productivity.

While the research as to whether or not this actually works is still pretty young, there have been studies that have found that microdosing psychedelics can support mental health across gender, body weight, and age, although other studies have been less conclusive [3].

While there is a very big difference between medication for mental health and weight loss, the concept of taking a smaller dose and seeing how that might change the impact on your body has carried over to many other types of medication, including Wegovy and other GLP-1 receptor medications.

In particular, many are starting to ask whether or not microdosing Wegovy can still support weight loss and weight maintenance [1].

Why are some people microdosing Wegovy?

Still, you might find yourself asking why people would want to take less when trying to get to their goal weight. Ultimately, it comes down to three factors:

1. Cost

Wegovy and other GLP-1 receptor medications don’t come cheap, and when costs of living are higher than they’ve been in years, people are feeling the pinch. In fact, studies have found that the number one reason people either go off-label and microdose Wegovy or give it up altogether is due to the expense of it [2].

2. Availability

The popularity of this medication has seen there be worldwide shortages of Wegovy and other brands of semaglutide medication, which has led many an obesity physician to suggest microdosing as a way to stretch a prescription a little longer [4]. After all, a little can sometimes go a long way.

3. Symptoms and side effects

While a lot of people find the more unpleasant side effects of Wegovy, like nausea, vomiting, and reflux, fall away with use, some people do experience a heightened sensitivity to the medication, particularly at the higher doses, which sees them having these side effects long-term. Taking a smaller dose has been found to alleviate the effects for some people, making it an appealing alternative to having to give up the medication or continue to struggle through [1].

What happens when you take smaller doses of semaglutide?

Taking lower doses of semaglutide medications like Wegovy has been found in preliminary studies to still support the quieting of food noise and progressive weight loss, but at potentially a slower rate than taking the dose recommended by your doctor or healthcare professional [5]. It’s important to note, though, that this is a really new area of research, and no official clinical trials have been conducted yet.

Is microdosing Wegovy safe?

Without clinical trials and greater research, it’s impossible to definitively say whether or not microdosing weight loss drugs like Wegovy is safe, but generally speaking, lower doses of medication shouldn’t have any greater risks or side effects than taking standard doses. Given that microdosing has potentially been found to help reduce side effects in some people, too, it may even be slightly safer.

That said, as microdosing means that you’re taking a prescribed medication more slowly, some research has suggested that it heightens the risk of injecting Wegovy after its expiration date. Taking out-of-date medication can be dangerous and pose significant health risks, so making sure that you’re keeping track of the shelf life of your medication is vital [1].

As this is such a new area of research, and as there aren’t clear guidelines around how much a microdose actually should be, it’s also important that your healthcare professional knows that you’re taking the medication in this way to ensure they can support you in achieving healthy weight loss.

Does microdosing Wegovy work?

Until more research is conducted, it’s impossible to say whether or not microdosing Wegovy works for weight loss. That said, it’s been found anecdotally to help reduce side effects for those who experience significant nausea, stomach pain and vomiting, and has been successful as a stop-gap measure in the past during the height of the semaglutide shortages in 2023 [4].

Risks of microdosing weight loss medications

The greatest risk of microdosing weight loss medications is that it may result in weight gain and the reversal of positive steps forward in your weight loss journey.

As there is such limited research as well, we don’t yet know the risks of microdosing when it comes to people using semaglutide medications for health issues other than weight loss or weight management such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or substance use disorders, and as a result, taking anything other than the prescribed amount without medical supervision is not recommended [5].

Why following your prescribed dose is important

Wegovy and other weight loss drugs have been tried and tested to be taken in a particular way. This involves starting at a lower dose and intermittently increasing to allow your body to adjust before you hit your maximum dose.

As you reach your maximum dose, you should be setting habits and making lifestyle changes to support not just weight loss, but weight management well into the future. This holistic approach to weight loss drugs, as supported by programs like The Juniper Programme, offers health benefits that go well beyond losing a few pounds and sees you living a healthier life overall.

While microdosing may be a good alternative for some, it shouldn't be something done without your doctor's approval.

When to speak to your presciber

If you’re interested in microdosing weight loss drugs to achieve your target weight, you should speak to your prescriber right away.

While taking lower doses is unlikely to have negative side effects, the lack of concrete research and clinical trials means that we simply don’t know how this may affect your weight loss journey or what it might do to your body.

Having an open dialogue with your healthcare provider can ensure you lose weight in a way that’s healthy, safe, and at the right pace for you.

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