Research
Evidence-based research
Every sourced explainer this desk publishes on GLP-1 medicines, grouped by the question it answers. 45 pieces, 157 references between them, each tied to a primary source — a trial, a label, or an FDA database — and cited inline rather than gestured at. Most recently updated .
Looking for the companies rather than the evidence? Every GLP-1 desk we track is scored and written up on the provider brief index — that is where this page used to live, and where the briefs are now.
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45 articles
What the trials actually showed
The published evidence on the molecules themselves, with every claim tied to a primary source.
- Oral GLP-1 pills explained: orforglipron and oral semaglutideWhat the new oral GLP-1 pills are — orforglipron and higher-dose oral semaglutide — what the trials show, and how a daily pill stacks up against the shots.9 references
- Semaglutide vs tirzepatide: what the trials actually showA plain-English read of the STEP-1, SURMOUNT-1, and SURPASS-2 trials: how much weight each GLP-1 drove, in which patients, and what the head-to-head compared.5 references
Compounded medicines, and what that word means
What a compounding pharmacy is, what the FDA does and does not review, how to check one, and how the brand-name products actually differ from a compounded version.
- Compounded vs brand-name GLP-1, explainedWhat separates compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide from brand-name Wegovy and Zepbound — on price, regulation, supply, and what the labels actually cover.4 references
- Is compounded semaglutide legit? What to checkA measured look at compounded semaglutide: what 503A and 503B pharmacies are, what LegitScript and FDA rules cover, and the checks that flag a safe desk.3 references
- Ozempic vs Wegovy vs compounded semaglutide: what's actually differentOzempic, Wegovy, and compounded semaglutide all use the same molecule — here's what's actually different between them: approval, indication, dose, and price.4 references
- Mounjaro vs Zepbound vs compounded tirzepatide: what's actually differentMounjaro, Zepbound, and compounded tirzepatide share a molecule but differ in approval, indication, dosing, and price — here's the plain-English breakdown.5 references
- GLP-1 shortages & supply: what's going on and what it means for youHow the FDA drug-shortage list shaped the GLP-1 market, why brand supply recovered, and what the shift means for compounded access and your refills.2 references
What it costs, and why that moves
Pricing structures, the mechanics behind a price change, how to read a headline rate, and how insurance coverage actually works.
- How to choose a GLP-1 provider: a 5-minute checklistA plain-English, five-minute checklist for vetting a GLP-1 telehealth provider — price stability, accreditation, supply, and the fine print that matters.2 references
- Why GLP-1 prices move: teaser rates, step-ups, and supplyThe forces behind GLP-1 pricing — teaser rates, month-two step-ups, stacked fees, and supply — and how to read a monthly price so it won't surprise you.2 references
- How much does semaglutide cost, with and without insurance?What Wegovy, Ozempic, and compounded semaglutide actually cost with insurance, without it, and in the cash-pay telehealth market — and why the numbers vary.5 references
- How much does tirzepatide cost, with and without insurance?What Zepbound, Mounjaro, and compounded tirzepatide actually cost with insurance, without it, and across the cash-pay telehealth market.5 references
- GLP-1 insurance coverage: what's covered, what isn't, and prior authorizationHow GLP-1 insurance coverage actually works — the diabetes-vs-obesity split, prior authorization, Medicare's exclusion, and how to check your own plan.4 references
Dosing, injection & safety
Titration schedules, injection technique, side effects worth knowing about, and specific safety questions like alcohol and low-dose regimens.
- GLP-1 microdosing: what it is, and what evidence actually supports itGLP-1 microdosing means taking below the labeled starting dose long-term. Here's what dose-response trial data actually shows, and what isn't studied at all.3 references
- "Ozempic teeth": dry mouth, taste changes, and dental health on a GLP-1What's documented about GLP-1s, dry mouth, and taste changes — and the honest mechanism behind dental complaints, sourced to case reports and clinical review.2 references
- Semaglutide & tirzepatide dosing chart: mg, concentration, and volume, from the FDA labelsThe actual FDA-labeled dose strengths for Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound — mg, concentration, and volume — pulled straight from each label.4 references
- Semaglutide dosing and titration schedule, explainedHow semaglutide's dose-escalation schedule works, why it's staged slowly, what the trials tested, and what to do if a step feels too hard.4 references
- Tirzepatide dosing and titration schedule, explainedHow tirzepatide's dose-escalation schedule works, why the top dose runs higher than semaglutide's, what SURMOUNT-1 tested, and what to do if a step is rough.5 references
- GLP-1 side effects: what's common, what's rare, and what's a red flagA clear breakdown of GLP-1 side effects — common GI symptoms, less common but serious risks, the boxed warning, and practical ways to manage nausea.5 references
- GLP-1 and alcohol: what the interaction risk actually isWhat actually happens when you drink alcohol on a GLP-1 — GI interaction, hypoglycemia risk, and the emerging trial evidence on reduced alcohol craving.3 references
- How to inject semaglutide or tirzepatide: technique, sites, and storageThe mechanics of injecting a GLP-1 correctly — sites, rotation, needle basics, and storage — based on established subcutaneous injection technique guidance.3 references
Results — what to expect, and when it stalls
A realistic timeline, the evidence on plateaus and muscle preservation, and what happens if you stop.
- GLP-1 weight-loss timeline: what to expect month by monthA realistic, trial-backed picture of GLP-1 weight loss — why month one is slow, when results accelerate, and where they typically level off.4 references
- Preventing muscle loss on a GLP-1: what the evidence saysGLP-1 weight loss includes some lean mass — here's what the trial data shows, and what protein intake and resistance training evidence says about limiting it.5 references
- GLP-1 weight-loss plateaus: why they happen, and what the evidence says to doThe physiology behind a GLP-1 weight-loss plateau — adaptive metabolic slowdown — and what the evidence actually supports doing about it.4 references
- Stopping a GLP-1: regain risk and what happens after you quitWhat the trial evidence actually shows about weight regain after stopping semaglutide or tirzepatide, why it happens, and what to consider before quitting.4 references
Access & eligibility
Telehealth prescribing rules, and the current guidance on fertility, pregnancy, and PCOS.
- Is GLP-1 telehealth legal in my state?The three questions that actually determine whether a GLP-1 telehealth provider can legally treat you — prescriber licensure, pharmacy licensure, and coverage.3 references
- GLP-1s and fertility or pregnancy: current guidanceWhat the current evidence and guidance say about GLP-1s and fertility, preconception washout, and pregnancy exposure — and what remains genuinely unsettled.6 references
- GLP-1 for PCOS: what the evidence showsWhat the trial evidence actually shows about GLP-1 receptor agonists for PCOS — weight, insulin resistance, hormonal markers, and what's still off-label.5 references
Desks we read, and what their pricing actually says
Reviews of individual GLP-1 desks, priced from each company's own published data rather than its marketing copy. None of these desks is a partner and none of these pages carries an affiliate link.
- He & She MD review: $199 monthly, $99 on a year up frontHe & She MD names its pharmacy in full — and leads every page with a rate that only exists if you pay twelve months in advance.2 references
- The Edit review: $209 sema, $309 tirzepatideThe Edit publishes a standing monthly rate and prepay rungs that divide correctly, names its pharmacy and its prescriber, and ships a full Spanish site.3 references
- Pepti review: $99 semaglutide, one open questionPepti prices semaglutide at $99 flat at every dose. Its own production data carries a per-dose ladder three times higher that nothing on the site renders.2 references
- Trellis Vitality review: $150 semaglutideTrellis publishes the best-formed GLP-1 price table in this batch and almost no pricing for the rest of its shelf — then claims on its blog that it does.3 references
- Auren Rx review: $199 monthly, $169 subscribedAuren Rx prints a subscribe rate and a no-commitment rate on every product. Two things on the site will still hand you the wrong number if you skim.2 references
- Vyvron review: 13 charges a year, not 12Vyvron bills every four weeks while printing a monthly price, and its tirzepatide program cannot be bought by the month at all — the cheapest entry is $790.2 references
- Rehydra+ review: a 6-month non-cancelable planRehydra+ advertises GLP-1 memberships from $119 a month. Every one of them is a six-month non-cancelable contract, so the real entry price is $714 to $2,514.2 references
- Lighter You review: the $99 that buys nothingLighter You names four pharmacies with street addresses and runs on OpenLoop. It has no product pages, and its headline price matches no program it sells.2 references
- Retatrutide: what the trial data shows (and why you can't legally buy it yet)Retatrutide's phase 2 data is genuinely striking, and it's not an FDA-approved drug. What the trials show, and why sourcing it isn't like sourcing a GLP-1.3 references
- "Ozempic face": what's actually happening, and what helpsWhat the dermatology literature says about facial and skin changes on GLP-1s — why it happens, who's more likely to notice it, and what genuinely helps.3 references
- GLP-1s and thyroid cancer: what the boxed warning actually saysEvery GLP-1 label carries a thyroid tumor warning from rodent data. What that warning actually means, and what two large real-world studies in humans found.3 references
- GLP-1 lawsuits and gastroparesis: what the evidence and the litigation actually showThe GLP-1 gastroparesis lawsuits, explained plainly: what the underlying study found, what's in dispute, and where the federal litigation actually stands.2 references
- GLP-1s and hair loss: the drug, the weight loss, or both?What retrospective studies and case reports show about hair loss on semaglutide and tirzepatide, and why rapid weight loss is the leading explanation.3 references
- GLP-1s and pancreatitis: what the evidence actually showsEvery GLP-1 label warns about acute pancreatitis. Here's what a 2026 dose-response meta-analysis and a large real-world cohort actually found about the risk.3 references
- GLP-1s and your gallbladder: what the gallstone risk data showsA JAMA Internal Medicine meta-analysis and a tirzepatide safety review on why GLP-1s raise gallstone risk — and why rapid weight loss is part of the mechanism.2 references
- GLP-1s and your eyes: the NAION safety signal, explainedA Harvard cohort study and a Danish-Norwegian registry study both found an association between semaglutide and a rare eye condition. The actual hazard ratios.3 references
- Beyond the scale: what GLP-1s do for your heart, kidneys, and sleep apneaThree landmark randomized trials — SELECT, FLOW, and SURMOUNT-OSA — tested GLP-1s for cardiovascular events, kidney disease, and sleep apnea. What each found.4 references
- GLP-1s before surgery: what the current anesthesia guidance actually saysMulti-society guidance on GLP-1s and surgery: the aspiration-risk concern, how recommendations have shifted, and what a real-world endoscopy study found.3 references