I tried microdosing Mounjaro for a very common, debilitating condition – what happened next was life-changing

When PR founder Bec Laut first started showing symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), such as an irregular menstrual cycle and acne problems, shortly after she first started menstruating at the age of 15, the first line of treatment was the birth control pill.

‘It helped and I continued the practice consistently for about 17 years,’ Laut tells the Daily Mail.

‘But when I started developing other health symptoms that I couldn’t resolve, I decided to come off the pill and within six months I was officially diagnosed with PCOS,’ she continues.

‘From there for about 18 months I tried to manage things naturally; Eating well, training four times a week, managing stress (tough for a business owner), but still my body wasn’t responding. ‘Cystic acne and extreme hair loss have really affected my confidence and mental health.’

Around this time, Laut’s doctor suggested trying a GLP-1 drug such as Ozempic or Mounjaro to help with weight loss; this drug would reverse insulin resistance and cure PCOS.

GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide 1, a hormone that regulates blood sugar and appetite.

‘To be honest, I brushed it off,’ he says. ‘It was talked about quite negatively at the time and I thought: I don’t need this.’

The availability of GLP-1 vaccines has reshaped Australia’s medical landscape in a way few drugs have before.

It is estimated that around 420,000 Australians are currently using the drug; this number is expected to increase over the next year; many experienced significant weight loss and reductions in cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors.

What began to change his mind, according to Laut, was the experience of a colleague who reported experiencing ‘mental clarity, faster recovery and relief from severe PCOS symptoms.’

An increasing number of GLP-1 users are ‘microdosing’; They say small amounts of the drug help reduce symptoms of various health problems without any negative side effects

‘Hearing this changed my mindset,’ says Laut. ‘I decided to start the following February and it’s been life changing ever since.’

While Laut’s body changed significantly after starting the medication, he had difficulty coping with the side effects.

‘After about five months I noticed my weight was continuing to drop but my energy was really low.’

Around the same time, Laut heard about a technique called ‘microdosing’, in which people use smaller doses than the prescribed amount to reduce side effects and achieve desired health results.

‘I did some research and, more importantly, paid close attention to how my body felt,’ she says.

‘So I went back to my doctor to discuss supervised testing of smaller doses. We adjusted my dosage and I now take roughly half the standard weekly dose. The benefits without burnout were a sweet spot for me. ‘I feel more stable, clearer and more in tune with my body than I have in years.’

Laut is one of a growing number of GLP-1 users who choose to use the drug this way; on the internet they often refer to themselves as ‘click counters’, a reference to the way they measure the dose of the pen.

Unlike Laut, who used the drug under the supervision of a doctor who approved of his approach, experts warn others online may ignore their doctors’ advice in favor of anecdotal evidence without scientific evidence.

RACGP Special Interest Obesity Chair Dr. ‘I think it would be very worrying if someone were to take these drugs for the perceived benefits they hear about on social media, because there is no evidence yet,’ says Terry-Lynne South.

Sarah Khune, pictured, lost more than 40 percent of her body weight using the drug GLP-1, but wants to switch to microdosing to maintain the benefits

“This is definitely something I would consider, the cost can be prohibitive and it would be great if I could get the same benefits with a smaller dose,” says Sarah Khune, pictured

Reddit forums such as r/GLP1microdosing and the #Micro DoseGLP1 Australia hashtag on TikTok are full of stories and advice from people who say the drug helps reduce symptoms of everything from PMDD to lipedema and endometriosis, and although Dr South admits it’s a “rapidly changing landscape”, the evidence to support this is not yet available.

‘However, much more research is being done on these GLP-1 injectable drugs and they are showing some improved benefits in health areas that we would never have thought of, including Parkinson’s disease and some types of dementia, as well as alcohol addiction,’ he says.

Reels of ‘how-to’ videos from members of the ‘longevity’ community on social media explain the benefits of GLP-1 drugs; South finds this particularly alarming, given these creators’ lack of medical knowledge.

‘I think the unproven zone is worrying because there are assumptions that it will have positive effects that have not yet been proven, but in fact we know that all drugs have risks and side effects,’ he continues.

‘And so I worry about known risks and side effects, but no proven benefits in terms of microdosing for off-label use.’

Queensland project manager Sarah Kuhne, who has been documenting her journey with GLP-1 drugs on TikTok, says she used the drugs primarily for weight loss but was incredibly pleasantly surprised by the emerging benefits across many other health areas.

‘I fall into the ‘super-responder’ category because I’ve now lost over 40 percent of my starting body weight, which is twice what you’d ‘expect’ to lose,’ he says.

‘For me, this was about much more than weight loss; I regained my mobility, my fitness, my desire to play actively with my three-year-old daughter and I no longer need to take blood pressure medication.’

‘I went from the highest possible dose of antidepressant to the lowest (after 15 years) and this reduced the inflammation in the lipedema in my legs and almost completely eliminated my endometriosis pain.’

While Sarah is still taking the full recommended dose under her doctor’s supervision, she says she wouldn’t rule out switching to a microdosing program once her weight stabilizes.

‘I’ve read a lot about microdosing online, you see a lot of people talking about it on Reddit forums and social media,’ he explains.

‘This is definitely something I would consider, the cost could be prohibitive and it would be great if I could get the same benefits with a smaller dose.’

Dr South accepts the logic behind such thinking but urges people to ensure they speak to their doctor before taking medication dosages into their own hands.

“The reason it’s so important to ensure you stay under the guidance of a doctor is that it depends largely on what the individual’s health goals are,” she explains.

‘I’ll give you an example. Especially with high dose Semaglutide 2.4 [brand name Wegovy] It is TGA approved for what we call ‘secondary cardiovascular risk protection’. So for people who already have heart health issues, it prevents them from having a second event, and the study looks at those 2.4 doses; so I can’t say that a dose lower than 2.4 would have the same cardio-protective effect.’

South recommends consulting with a doctor who understands your holistic health goals and the mechanisms of the medication before making any changes.

GLP-1 medications should be used only as prescribed and under the supervision of a qualified medical professional. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.