I Tried Microdosing on Ozempic and the Results were ‘Absolutely Great’

All her life, Madison Burgess struggled with losing weight. Her exercise routine wasn’t working for her. Her sweet tooth made it hard to eat healthy.

The goal was to lose 50 pounds, and when the conventional workout and diet advice didn’t work, Madison knew she needed to take a different approach. In 2023, she was looking to see if she was a candidate for bariatric surgery. Then, the Ozempic boom happened.

Celebrities like Khloé Kardashian and Oprah Winfrey were sharing their experience with Ozempic. Influencers were posting dramatic before-and-after weight loss photos. At one point, the demand for GLP-1s sparked a global supply shortage.

Madison didn’t know what to expect from Ozempic other than that it was helping people lose weight. So, in March 2023, Madison started GLP-1 medication through Claya, a weight loss and wellness company.

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Madison’s Ozempic Journey

Within the first week of starting, Madison noticed an immediate change. Her inflammation went down, and she lost 5 pounds.

Ozempic’s dosing schedule requires people to start at 0.25 mg once weekly for four weeks. Then, the doctor increases the dose to 0.5 mg once weekly for another four weeks. Depending on the patient’s progress, the doctor may increase the dosage to 1 to 2 mg once weekly.

Everything felt fine until the third month when her dose increased to 1.7 mg. That’s when the side effects kicked in. “Once I made it past one milligram of medication, I was dealing with nausea, fatigue and even occasional vomiting,” describes Madison.

Ozempic’s label warns of common side effects that include nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting and constipation. However, Madison says the side effects became so severe she could not eat food. Her low energy levels gave her no desire to eat and when she did, it triggered vomiting.

“I realized this is not okay. This is not how I wanted to lose weight,” she says. “The GLP-1 was working just fine for me prior to this, so I knew I needed to talk with my provider at Claya.”

Related: Ozempic & Nausea: Causes, Relief, How to Avoid It

Ozempic Microdosing

After speaking with her provider, Madison decided to microdose—using a dose lower than the recommended amount. Microdosing GLP-1 weight loss drugs have been a way for people to cut the cost of medication, and more recently, it is gaining traction online as a way to reduce side effects.

“The microdosing strategy has some attractive benefits, including helping to mitigate side effects and being able to customize the dose to the minimum efficacious dose for individual patients,” says Katie Sorensen, a nurse practitioner specializing in GLP-1 medications who was not involved in Burgess’ treatment. She notes that microdosing still allows people to have their desired outcomes—managing appetite and losing weight.

It's wroth noting, however, that microdosing is not an FDA-approved strategy nor are there any clinical studies to provide guidelines on microdosing. Sorensen says microdosing should not involve much risk to a person’s health. The problem is that a lower dose than the recommended amount could slow down weight loss and reduce other potential health benefits.

“We would not be able to say for certain that a patient is reaping the full potential benefits of GLP-1 medications that have been shown in recent clinical trials. These benefits can include reduced risk of heart attack, a lesser rate of hospitalizations, improved kidney function and more,” Sorensen explains.

No Side Effects After Microdosing

As the popularity of microdosing continues, there is a need for more research to look at the pros and cons of this popular dosing strategy. For now, stories like Madison are helping people learn what to possibly expect.

After two years of Ozempic microdosing, Madison has experienced no side effects. She also believes that microdosing did not hinder her weight loss journey. “I’m a big advocate now of microdosing. Going slow and staying low is my motto nowadays and I think it’s better for long-term results,” Madison says. She regained her appetite, but the food noise remained silent, making it easier to resist binging on sweets. “It’s been absolutely great.”

Madison surpassed her 50-pound target goal, and as of now she has lost 60 pounds since the start of her journey.

Related: The Unexpected Health Benefit of Weight Loss Drugs Like Ozempic That No One's Talking About

What Madison Wants People To Know About Micro-Dosing

Madison credits her weight loss to GLP-1s and also health habits that have helped her maintain that weight loss. She tells Parade she felt so excited seeing the first few pounds come off that she wanted to do more to make sure she would continue to keep the weight off. This included exercising and adding more protein, fiber and electrolytes into her diet.

“You can’t think you can get on a GLP-1 medication and it’s going to completely change everything,” says Madison. “It’s just a tool. You need to create sustainable healthy habits to progress in the long run, especially if you eventually get off it.”

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Sources

• Madison Burgess is a TikTok health influencer and patient at Claya.

• Katie Sorensen, FNP-C, a nurse practitioner and owner of Weight Loss NP.