This Ozempic Hack Promises Cheaper Meds And Fewer Side Effects—But Is It Safe? Doctors Explain
GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic have exploded over the past few years, thanks to data that show they can help people lose a significant amount of weight. But these medications aren’t perfect, and it’s understandable for people to want to tailor them to their own needs. That’s where microdosing Ozempic has come into play.
Some people are tinkering with the dosage of weight loss drugs for a variety of reasons. But what is Ozempic microdosing—and is this even safe? Here’s the deal.
Meet the experts: Mir Ali, MD, board certified general surgeon, bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. Alexandra Sowa, MD, author of the upcoming book The Ozempic Revolution.
What is Ozempic microdosing?
Ozempic microdosing is when patients lower the dosage of Ozempic or other injectable weight loss medications to take smaller amounts. Typically, this is done via drugs from a compounding pharmacy because of the way that many name-brand medications are made and delivered, says Alexandra Sowa, MD, author of the upcoming book, The Ozempic Revolution.
Compounding is the "process of combining, mixing, or altering ingredients to create a medication tailored to the needs of a patient," per the Food and Drug Administration. Compounding pharmacies sell custom-made medications and some medications on the FDA's drug shortages list. But the FDA doesn’t approve compounded drugs like they do traditional prescription drugs, according to the organization.
Ozempic is one of the only GLP-1 agonists that could potentially be microdosed because of the way it's packaged, Sowa says.
“The only [name-brand] medication that can potentially deliver less medication is the Ozempic pen,” Sowa says. “The other medications like Wegovy and Zepbound come in autoinjectors, so you can’t hack them for a smaller dose.”
Is it safe to microdose Ozempic?
There are a few things to consider here. People have a range of reasons for microdosing Ozempic, including trying to save money and minimizing negative side effects.
You can microdose under a doctor’s care, but it’s unlikely that you’ll get the results you’re after, says Mir Ali, MD, board certified general surgeon, bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
“People don’t typically get weight loss if we go to such a low dose,” he says. “And they usually get over side effects with time.”
Sowa also has concerns about getting the dosing right. “It requires complicated math and conversions,” she says.
Are there benefits to microdosing Ozempic?
It depends. Ali stresses that everyone responds to medication like Ozempic differently, but most won’t benefit from very low doses.
“Some folks may be very sensitive, but that’s unusual,” he says. “Most of the time, patients don’t see the benefits of weight loss until they get to higher doses.”
So, is it recommended?
Doctors don’t really recommend microdosing Ozempic. “It’s not well-studied,” Ali says. “There are certain guidelines we have to follow based on the way these medications were designed. A doctor will need to follow those guidelines.”
Given that microdosing Ozempic likely means you’re getting medication from a compounded pharmacy, Ali has concerns about safety and accuracy. “You may not even be getting the real medication,” he says.
(Legitimacy issues are real: Over 40 percent of online compounding pharmacies advertising "semaglutide" in 2023 were operating illegally, a recent report found.)
Ultimately, Sowa says that any microdosing should be done under the guidance of your doctor. “If you’re doing this, you really need to work with a doctor who understands who to do it safely,” she says.
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