When PR founder Bec Laut first started showing signs of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) – such as irregular cycles and acne issues – shortly after getting her first period at 15, the first line of treatment was the birth control pill.
‘It did help,’ Laut tells the Daily Mail, ‘and I ended up staying on it consistently for about 17 years.’
‘But when I started developing other health symptoms that I couldn’t seem to resolve, I decided to come off the pill and was formally diagnosed with PCOS within six months,’ she continues.
‘From there, it was about 18 months of trying to manage things naturally; eating well, training four times a week, managing stress (hard as a business owner) and yet my body just wouldn’t respond. The cystic acne and extreme hair loss really hit my confidence and mental health.’
It was around this time Laut’s doctor recommended trying a GLP-1 medication – like Ozempic or Mounjaro – to assist weight loss, which would reverse insulin resistance and improve PCOS.
GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide 1, which is a hormone that regulates blood sugar and appetite.
‘Honestly, I brushed it off,’ she says. ‘At the time, it was being spoken about pretty negatively and I thought: I don’t need that.’
The accessibility of GLP-1 jabs has reshaped the Australian medical landscape in a way few drugs ever have before.
It’s estimated that around 420,000 Australians are currently using the medication, a number expected to grow over the next year, with many having experienced significant weight loss and reduction in cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors.
For Laut, it was the experience of a colleague, who had reported experiencing ‘mental clarity, faster recovery and relief from severe PCOS symptoms,’ that began to change her mind.
Bec Laut, pictured, was prescribed Mounjaro to help with the symptoms of PCOS
A growing number of GLP-1 users are ‘microdosing’ – they say small amounts of the drug have helped reduce symptoms of various health conditions, without any of the negative side effects
‘Hearing that shifted my mindset,’ says Laut. ‘I decided to start the following February, and it’s been life-changing since.’
While Laut’s body changed significantly after starting on the medication, she found the side effects difficult to cope with.
‘About five months in, I noticed my weight continuing to drop, but my energy was really low.’
Around the same time, Laut heard of a technique called ‘microdosing’, where people used smaller doses than the prescribed amount to cut down on side effects and achieve their desired health results.
‘I’d done some research and, more importantly, paid close attention to how my body felt,’ she says.
‘So I went back to my doctor to discuss testing smaller doses under supervision. We adjusted my dosage, and now I take roughly half the standard weekly dose. It’s been a sweet spot for me, the benefits without the burnout. I feel stable, clear, and more in tune with my body than I’ve been in years.’
Laut is one of a growing number of GLP-1 users choosing to use the drug in this way, often referring to themselves online as ‘click counters’ as a nod to the way in which they measure out the pen’s dose.
Although unlike Laut, who uses the medication under supervision from a doctor who has approved her approach, experts warn other people online might be ignoring their doctor’s advice in favour of anecdotal evidence without scientific proof.
‘I think it would be very concerning for someone to be taking these medications for those perceived benefits that they’re hearing about on social media, because there’s just no proof as of yet,’ says Dr Terry-Lynne South, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Obesity.
Sarah Khune, pictured, has lost more than 40 per cent of her bodyweight using GLP-1 medication, but wants to switch to microdosing for continued benefits
‘It’s definitely something I would consider, the cost can be prohibitive, and if I could get the same benefits for a smaller dose, then it would be great,’ Sarah Khune, pictured, says
Reddit forums like r/GLP1microdosing and the hashtag #Micro DoseGLP1 Australia on TikTok are full of stories and advice from people who say the medication has helped reduce symptoms of everything from PMDD to lipoedema and endometriosis, and while Dr South admits it is a ‘fast-changing landscape,’ the evidence is not yet there to support it.
‘Having said that, there is a lot more research going into these GLP-1 injectable medications, and it is showing some improved benefits in areas of health that we would never have thought, including Parkinson’s disease and some types of dementia, as well as alcohol addiction,’ she says.
Reel after reel of ‘how-to’ videos from members of the ‘longevity’ community on social media spruik the benefits of GLP-1 medications, which South finds particularly concerning, given these creators’ lack of medical knowledge.
‘I think that an evidence-free zone is concerning, because there are assumptions that there’s going to be positive effects which are not yet proven, but we do actually know that all medications have risks and side effects,’ she continues.
‘And so I’d be concerned about known risks and side effects, but no proven benefits with regards to microdosing for off-label use.’
For Queensland project manager Sarah Kuhne, who has documented her journey with GLP-1 medications on TikTok, she says that while she is on the drugs primarily for weight loss, the resulting benefits across several other health areas have been an incredibly welcome surprise.
‘I fall into the category of a “super responder” because I’ve lost more than 40 per cent of my starting body weight now, which is double what you can “expect” to lose,’ she says.
‘For me though it’s been about so much more than weight loss – I’ve gained back mobility, my fitness, my willingness to actively play with my three-year-old daughter, and I no longer have to take blood pressure medication.’
‘I have gone from the highest to lowest possible antidepressant dose (after 15 years) and it’s reduced inflammation in my lipoedema in my legs and almost eradicated my endometriosis pain.’
While Sarah, under the supervision of her doctor, is still taking the full recommended dose, she says she wouldn’t rule out switching to a microdosing schedule once her weight stabilises.
‘I’ve read a lot about microdosing online, you see a lot of people talking about it in Reddit forums and on social media,’ she explains.
‘It’s definitely something I would consider, the cost can be prohibitive, and if I could get the same benefits for a smaller dose, then it would be great.’
Dr South acknowledges the rationale behind this kind of thinking, but urges people to ensure they speak to their doctor before taking their dosage into their own hands.
‘The reason it’s so important to make sure you stay under a doctor’s guidance is because it depends so heavily on what that individual’s health goals are,’ she explains.
‘I’ll give you an example. Particularly with the higher dose Semaglutide 2.4 [brand name Wegovy] it’s TGA-approved for what we call ‘secondary cardiovascular risk protection’. So it’s for people who already have heart health problems, preventing them from having second events, and the research is looking at that dose of 2.4 – so I cannot say that a lower dose than 2.4 would have that same cardio-protective effect.’
South advises consulting with a doctor who understands your holistic health goals – and the mechanisms of the medicine itself – before making any changes.
GLP-1 medications should only be used as prescribed and under the care of a qualified medical professional. This article is for information only and does not constitute medical advice.
