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October 13, 2026
Chances are, someone you know is on a GLP-1. Maybe a coworker dropped three sizes, or a friend told you she can barely eat a full meal anymore. You may have also heard the other stories about nausea, lost muscle, and food that suddenly tastes like nothing.
So when we tell you we use GLP-1 at Hotze Health & Wellness Center, you might raise an eyebrow. That’s fair. Our lead physician, Dr. Ellsworth, felt the same way. Two years ago, he was telling people to avoid these medications.
Today, he sees microdosing GLP-1 very differently. On a recent episode of Dr. Hotze’s Wellness Revolution podcast, titled “Microdosing GLP-1s with Dr. Donald Ellsworth,” he explained why. The short version? This isn’t about the scale. It’s about your heart, brain, joints, and how well you live in the years ahead.
GLP-1 isn’t a foreign chemical cooked up in a lab. Your gut makes it every time you eat, and it helps manage your blood sugar, insulin, and appetite. Researchers identified a related peptide, GIP, in the early 1970s, and they discovered GLP-1 in the 1980s.¹
There was just one catch. The GLP-1 your body makes breaks down within minutes, so it couldn’t be used therapeutically. Then researchers found a clue in a surprising place: the Gila monster.
This venomous desert lizard can eat up to a third of its body weight in one sitting, then live off fat stored in its tail for months. In the early 1990s, Dr. John Eng found a compound in its venom, exendin-4, that acts like human GLP-1 but lasts far longer. That discovery led to exenatide, the first GLP-1 medication, which the FDA approved in 2005.²
No, your medication doesn’t come from lizards. Instead, scientists tweaked the human GLP-1 molecule so it stays active longer. In fact, semaglutide shares about 94% of its structure with the GLP-1 already in your body.²
Better yet, your heart, blood vessels, brain, and immune system have GLP-1 receptors.¹ That’s why the benefits reach so far beyond weight.
Your body isn’t short on pharmaceutical drugs. Instead, it’s often short on what it used to make on its own. As we age, hormones decline, and our cells may respond less efficiently to signals like insulin, thyroid hormone, and GLP-1. Microdosing GLP-1 simply replenishes what is falling short.
As Dr. Ellsworth explains, water is essential, yet drinking 20 gallons in one day could land you in the hospital. The dose makes all the difference. Likewise, a midlife man replenishing testosterone to a healthy level is different from a bodybuilder taking massive doses.
| What to Compare | GLP-1 for Weight Loss | Microdosing GLP-1 |
| Main goal | Maximum weight loss | Whole-body health and healthspan |
| Dose | Starts with prefilled pens, then increases | Below the lowest standard starting dose |
| Where it comes from | Retail pharmacy | Reputable compounding pharmacy |
| Weight loss | Often significant | Not the goal; results vary from person to person |
| Common side effects | Nausea, bloating, constipation, muscle loss, and food aversion | Rarely reported in our provider’s experience |
| Healthy habits | Sometimes used in place of them | Paired with healthy eating, exercise, and sleep |
Weight loss isn’t the goal of microdosing. Even so, some people notice gradual changes as cravings and food noise quiet down. Results vary, and your provider focuses on the markers that matter most for your health.
Does heart disease run in your family? You’re not alone, since it remains the leading cause of death in the United States. In the SELECT trial, researchers followed 17,604 adults with overweight or obesity and existing heart disease, but no diabetes. Semaglutide lowered the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death by 20%.³
These effects go beyond blood sugar. GLP-1 activity can raise nitric oxide and help your blood vessels respond better. Animal and early human studies also show less plaque buildup in the arteries.¹
Has your doctor ever said your A1C is “a little high”? GLP-1 medications were first developed for type 2 diabetes, and they improve A1C, fasting glucose, insulin, and triglycerides.¹ Since insulin resistance and inflammation often travel together, better insulin signaling may also calm inflammation. These peptides do not help blood sugar in type 1 diabetes.
Kidney function tends to slip a little with every trip around the sun, and few tools slow that process. In the FLOW trial, 3,533 adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease took semaglutide or placebo. The semaglutide group had a 24% lower risk of major kidney events and a 20% lower risk of death from any cause.⁴
You can eat well, exercise, and still hear the words “fatty liver.” That’s frustrating, because fatty liver can lead to inflammation, scarring, and eventually cirrhosis. In the ESSENCE trial, 62.9% of participants on semaglutide saw their liver inflammation resolve, compared with 34.3% on placebo.⁵ Additionally, 36.8% showed less scarring, compared with 22.4% on placebo.⁵
Brain fog can make an ordinary Tuesday feel like a marathon. Your brain’s memory centers contain GLP-1 and GIP receptors, and these peptides help calm brain inflammation. In animal models of Alzheimer’s disease, GLP-1 activity lowered amyloid and tau proteins and improved learning.¹
Human results are more mixed. Two large trials of oral semaglutide in early Alzheimer’s improved some disease biomarkers but did not slow progression.⁶ Even so, many people using GLP-1 peptides say they feel sharper, sometimes quickly. Because reduced brain inflammation matters on its own, Dr. Ellsworth remains cautiously optimistic.
We all know that pull toward the cookie jar or the evening glass of wine. GLP-1 receptors sit within your brain’s dopamine reward system, which drives cravings for sugar, alcohol, tobacco, and other habits. In a 2025 trial, low-dose semaglutide reduced drinking in adults with alcohol use disorder.⁷ Interestingly, smokers in that trial also smoked fewer cigarettes.⁷
Many people also experience less “food noise,” those constant thoughts about what to eat next. According to Dr. Ellsworth, people often describe it like this: they still enjoy those foods, but the foods no longer control their lives.
Immune cells carry GLP-1 receptors too. For instance, a Danish study found that people with inflammatory bowel disease who used GLP-1-based therapies had fewer serious flare-related events.⁸
If you live with mast cell activation syndrome or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), you know how hard they are to manage. At the lowest microdoses, some guests report clearer thinking, less sensitivity to foods and chemicals, and steadier blood pressure when standing. These are clinical observations, and autoimmune research is still early.
Stiff knees on the stairs? Achy hands when you open a jar? Many people on GLP-1 medications report less joint pain. In the STEP 9 trial, 407 adults with obesity and knee osteoarthritis took semaglutide or placebo. The semaglutide group reported significantly greater reductions in knee pain.⁹
Weight loss explains part of this. Yet people without weight to lose also report improvement, even in their hands. Dr. Ellsworth also highlighted a small pilot study of 20 people, in which MRI scans suggested thicker knee cartilage with GLP-1 therapy. Larger studies are needed, but the possibility is exciting.
Months after an infection, some people still battle brain fog, fatigue, body aches, and headaches. Clinical trials are now studying GLP-1 peptides for these lingering symptoms. Meanwhile, some people report feeling better within days of starting a small microdose.
GLP-1 peptides may gently lower mildly elevated blood pressure. For sleep apnea, tirzepatide significantly reduced severity in adults with obesity.¹⁰ Because those participants also lost significant weight, it is unclear whether microdoses would offer the same benefit.
You may be a good candidate if any of these sound familiar:
Some early adopters choose microdosing purely for longevity. That decision deserves careful thought, since the research is still growing.
On the other hand, certain people should avoid GLP-1 peptides. These include anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid them, as should anyone prone to pancreatitis.
Have you ever been told your labs look “normal” when you feel anything but? Standard bloodwork alone often misses the full story. That’s why our team pairs your symptoms with comprehensive lab testing. To track metabolic progress, Dr. Ellsworth looks at:
Patience matters. Some changes, like silent inflammation, happen without symptoms you can feel. For many goals, six months is the short end of the timeline.
Dr. Ellsworth currently focuses on tirzepatide, which activates both GLP-1 and GIP receptors. Semaglutide is another strong option. Some studies suggest tirzepatide may offer greater benefits beyond weight loss. Retatrutide is still in development, and he expects to consider it once it becomes available through compounding.
Nervous about needles? Most people find these small, once-weekly injections under the skin easier than they expected. The best data supports injections over oral forms, and we show you exactly how to do it at home.
Above all, skip the gray market. It may be cheaper, but if you don’t know what’s in the vial, you don’t know what you’re putting in your body. We rely on reputable, sterile compounding pharmacies for quality and accuracy.
Many of our guests come to us after seeing multiple doctors without answers. We are often their last stop. Why? We listen, and we look for the root cause of your symptoms.
At Hotze Health & Wellness Center, we treat the whole body, not just an isolated symptom. This approach helps resolve symptoms while also supporting prevention and healthspan. As a population, we are living longer, and those added years should be quality years.
As Dr. Ellsworth puts it, these are potent signaling molecules that address some of today’s most common health challenges. Combined with a healthy lifestyle, they fit seamlessly into an integrative longevity plan.
Only interested in microdosing GLP-1? Good news is on the way. We’re preparing a new option designed just for you, so check back soon for details.
In the meantime, if you’re ready to explore a new path to wellness, click HERE to schedule your complimentary phone consultation with one of our Wellness Consultants. You can also call us at 281-698-8698. Our consultations are always free. It’s a pressure-free conversation where you can ask questions, share your concerns, and discover whether our integrative, root-cause approach is the right fit for you. It would be our privilege to serve you.
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Holistic, functional medicine doctors in Houston, Texas specializing in bioidentical hormones, hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, menopause, perimenopause, low testosterone, allergies and LDI treatment, candida, detoxification, nutritional deficiencies, longevity and aesthetics.
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