LOSE WEIGHT FOR LESS!

TREND ALERT! Microdosing, split dosing, stretch dosing: People are finding creative ways to use weight-loss medications following new restrictions on the drugs. Here, expert insights to help you safely save money and continue slimming amid all the changes

- BY LISA MAXBAUER

You've heard all about the latest generation of weight-loss drugs, often called GLP-1s, that are helping millions lower blood sugar, quiet “food noise,” cut cravings and shed weight. But the landscape of these meds has gotten confusing lately, especially with news from the FDA that compounding pharmacies will no longer be able to make low-cost dupes now that product shortages of the medications Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound have ended. What remains are the branded drugs that not everyone can afford and not all insurance covers. As a result, many women are rationing their medicine in creative ways. But are these work-arounds smart or even effective? We reached out to diet drug experts to find out what you need to know.

How effective are GLPs?

Some 19% of adults in the U.S. have tried these new weight-loss medications. Why all the fuss? Jennifer Warren, M.D., who has specialized in obesity management for 21 years and is the founder of Physicians Healthy Weight Center, says, “The new anti-obesity medications have been game changers.” Indeed, new injectable medicines like Mounjaro are proven to help people shed up to 26% of their starting weight.

But the price can be steep: The drugs can run $1,200 to $1,600 a month out-of-pocket. (If you have insurance—and a prescription—you can apply for a savings card through your insurer. Some people find they are eligible for weight-loss drugs for as little as $25 a month.)

Most doctors and manufacturers say these drugs should be used as they were intended. Shauna Levy, M.D., director of bariatric surgery at Tulane University, says, “The standard recommended doses were the most effective doses during studies and trials and therefore patients may not lose sufficient weight with microdosing.” (More on that later.)