09/09/2025

How Micro-dosing GLP-1 Drugs Became a Longevity ‘Craze’

Some companies are helping stoke enthusiasm for “micro-dosing” these drugs

As a 62-year-old grandmother in Maine, Christine Babb doesn't identify with the bio-hacker bros who try experimental medications to optimize their health. But after side effects from her first dose of a weight-loss drug hit her "like a Mack truck," she, too, decided to experiment.

She drew up a syringe of the GLP-1 drug tirzepatide in June that was just 40 percent of the standard starting dose. The side effects she hadd felt — constipation and extreme fatigue — went away with the smaller shot, she said, while her blood pressure, joint pain and inflammation improved. That experience, coupled with reading studies about the potential of GLP-1 drugs to protect brain health, has persuaded Babb to take a small dose indefinitely in a bid to fend off diseases that come with age.

There is virtually no published scientific evidence that proves taking smaller-than-standard doses of tirzepatide or semaglutide — the active ingredients in Zepbound and Ozempic, respectively — is safe or effective. But that hasn't stopped patients like Babb from trying nonstandard doses for a broad array of reasons, including expectations of improved wellness and longevity.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.