The 6-12 month danger zone on GLP-1

Hi {{first_name}} -

One of the interesting things we’re starting to see with GLP-1 medications has nothing to do with weight loss. It’s what inevitably starts to happen when your intake remains consistently 30-40% lower than normal for an extended period of time.

You are simply not meeting your micronutrient needs.

A recent study looking at people taking GLP-1 medications found that many users had insufficient intake of several key vitamins and minerals. I even saw an article the other day in the New York Post that people on GLP1 are getting scurvy (vitamin C deficiency). This is a deficiency that you have to REALLY try to get. You have to not eat a SINGLE fruit or vegetable for MONTHS to get scurvy. This is a very, very bad sign that people are not caring at ALL about nutrition and basically starving themselves for the sake of….????

But this isn’t surprising when you think about how these medications work.

Appetite drops. Portion sizes shrink.
Meals become smaller and sometimes less varied.

Or you are way too focused on protein and forget that other nutrients matter too.

Some of the nutrients researchers are paying attention to include things like:

magnesium
vitamin D
B vitamins
iron
calcium

It doesn’t mean everyone on a GLP-1 will become deficient, but it does highlight something important…when appetite is decreased, your food quality matters even more.

Smaller meals need to be more nutrient-dense. You cannot just eat the same as you did before because when you could eat more, you had more opportunities to meet your needs.

This is one of the reasons I encourage people on GLP-1 medications to think beyond just calories or weight loss. The goal is not just to lose weight. The goal is to build a healthier body that functions well long term.

So this week, I want you to take a look at your diet and ask yourself, are you eating a variety of foods? Are you eating enough calories to sustain a grown adult (hint: it’s more than 1200)? Are you still avoiding healthy carbs like fruits and vegetables? Are you obsessing over protein at the detriment of other foods? Are you taking a multivitamin just in case?

If you are unsure what a balanced diet on a GLP1 looks like, that isn’t JUST protein; this is what we help with inside the membership.

Because it’s my birthday week, I opened a small promotion for the GLP-1 Hub membership.

Inside the membership, we talk about the practical side of GLP-1 meds, things like nutrition quality, long-term health, and maintenance strategies.

If you join this week, you’ll also receive store credit for the GLP-1 Hub store:

$9 membership → $10 credit
$39 membership → $40 credit

You can learn more here:

JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP

Birthday week runs through March 13.

On the podcast this week, I interviewed Dr. Caitlyn Edwards, a fellow registered dietitian, about the importance of micronutrients, what they are, and where to find them. This conversation is going to cover all the basics and set you up for success long-term.

I also interviewed Dr. Scott Sherr about the Sympathetic Spiral of Doom and how, if you find yourself in this spiral of stress, inflammation, and metabolic imbalance, GLP1s could make you feel even worse. He gives lots of practical advice on what to do to feel your best.

Over on YouTube, I talked about what happened when I lowered my dose this month, and I also made a video about GLP1 considerations for men (I see you guys out there!)