People Are Microdosing Weight Loss Drugs. But Why?

If you feel like you can’t even step into a grocery store without a GLP-1 jingle hijacking your brain, you’re not imagining it. Weight loss drugs are everywhere, and now, so is a new underground trend: microdosing.

A new survey from Tebra shows that plenty of people are quietly hacking their doses, often without a doctor’s blessing, to dodge side effects, save money, and take control of their treatment on their own terms.

Tebra polled 640 GLP-1 users and found that over a third (36 percent) are currently microdosing, while another 32 percent have tried it in the past. Gen Z is leading the charge: nearly 9 in 10 younger users reported microdosing at some point. Wealth also plays a role — higher-income patients were far more likely to microdose compared to lower-income users.

Many didn’t waste time experimenting, either. Over 2 in 5 said they started adjusting their doses within the first month. For some, it turned into a long-term strategy: nearly a quarter kept microdosing for six months or more, and a small percentage stuck with it for over a year.

Social media has fueled much of the movement. TikTok led the way as the number one source for microdosing advice, with Instagram, Reddit, and X close behind. More than half of users who microdosed (55 percent) admitted they did it without checking with their doctor first.

The reasons for microdosing were surprisingly practical: 66 percent wanted to cut side effects, 40 percent hoped to ease into treatment more gently, and 38 percent were looking to save money. The go-to method? Simply injecting a smaller amount. But in a few riskier cases, mostly among Gen Z and Millennials, users dipped into leftover meds from friends or family.

The payoff wasn’t always what users expected. More than 1 in 5 said they regretted microdosing, and over half said they felt judged or shamed — sometimes even by their own doctors. Still, confidence levels told a different story: microdosers were 16 percent more likely to believe they could maintain their weight loss long-term.

As for the future, GLP-1 users are split. About a third plan to return to their full prescribed dose, another third want to stick with microdosing indefinitely, and nearly 30 percent are considering quitting GLP-1s altogether.

For clinics and private practices, this isn’t something they can afford to shrug off. Microdosing is no longer a side hustle — it’s shaping how patients manage their treatment, whether doctors like it or not.

“By understanding why patients microdose and how it affects their mindset and outcomes, providers can offer more personalized care, correct misinformation, and build trust,” the report pointed out. In short: the old top-down approach won’t cut it anymore. Patients are steering the ship, and providers need to catch up.