#129: 💉 Why GLP-1 Drugs Might Be the Future of Brain Health
The Brain Boosting Effects of Microdosing Ozempic: Could Ozempic Be a Key to Longevity and Mental Sharpness?
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💬 In this note:
💉 Why GLP-1 Drugs Might Be the Future of Brain Health
📚 The Paris Daughter
⚡️ Controlling an Apple Vision Pro With Your Thoughts\
💉 Why GLP-1 Drugs Might Be the Future of Brain Health
Photo by Haberdoedas on Unsplash
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard about Ozempic and similar GLP-1 receptor agonist medications. I covered it in Nina’s Notes #53.
They've become famous for their dramatic weight loss effects, with celebrities and tech moguls openly discussing their "Ozempic bodies."
But what if the most interesting effects of these drugs aren't visible on the outside?
What Are GLP-1 Receptor Agonists?
Ozempic (semaglutide) belongs to a class of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists. GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a hormone naturally produced in the intestines that regulates blood sugar and appetite.
These medications were initially developed to treat type 2 diabetes, as they effectively:
Stimulate insulin release when blood sugar is high
Suppress excessive glucagon secretion
Slow stomach emptying, creating a feeling of fullness
Reduce appetite by acting on brain centers that control hunger
The weight loss effects were initially considered a beneficial side effect for diabetic patients but have since become the primary reason many people seek out these medications.
The Unexpected Brain Benefits
What researchers are now discovering is that GLP-1 receptors aren't just found in the pancreas and gut, they're abundant throughout the brain, including in regions associated with cognition, decision-making, and reward pathways.
This distribution might explain why patients, and some of my friends, report unexpected mental clarity and changes in thought patterns.
Clearer Thinking and Cognitive Enhancement
The cognitive effects aren't just anecdotal.
A 2025 study published in Nature Mental Health explored how GLP-1 medications showed promise for improving cognitive function and reducing the risk of dementia, particularly in individuals with diabetes.
Scientists hypothesize that several mechanisms might be responsible for these cognitive improvements.
GLP-1 agonists could be reducing neuroinflammation in brain tissue and increasing neuroprotection by protecting neurons from various forms of stress and damage.
Breaking Addiction Patterns
Perhaps the most fascinating neural effect being studied is how these medications affect addiction and reward circuitry in the brain.
GLP-1 receptors are present in the mesolimbic reward pathway, the same brain circuit involved in addiction to substances like alcohol, nicotine, and even highly palatable foods.
Preliminary research in both animal models and humans suggests GLP-1 medications may reduce alcohol cravings and consumption, decrease nicotine-seeking behavior, diminish the reward value of ultra-processed foods and potentially help with other forms of addiction.
This might explain why some Ozempic users report not just reduced hunger, but specifically reduced cravings for foods they previously couldn't resist.
Microdosing Ozempic
A new trend has emerged…microdosing GLP-1 medications like Ozempic.
Unlike traditional dosing regimens that start with the FDA-recommended amount (typically 0.25mg weekly for semaglutide, increasing over time), microdosers take just a fraction, often half or even less, of the standard dose.
Why People Are Microdosing GLP-1s
Even at lower doses, the anti-inflammatory properties appear to remain robust, potentially benefiting skin appearance and reducing overall inflammation
Users report increased mental clarity and focus without the full appetite-suppressing effects
Lower doses may minimize the nausea, digestive issues, and muscle atrophy sometimes associated with standard dosing
Gradual weight loss helps avoid the drawn, saggy appearance, or “Ozempic face” that can result from rapid fat loss.
GLP-1 agonists still dampen unhealthy impulses and cravings at low doses.
Using smaller amounts can reduce the financial burden by 50-75%
This microdosing approach raises fascinating questions about the optimal dose for different health outcomes.
Perhaps the standard dosing protocols, designed primarily for diabetes management and significant weight loss, aren't necessary for accessing certain cognitive and inflammatory benefits.
The Longevity Connection
Could these medications also help us live longer, healthier lives?
While it's too early for definitive conclusions (these drugs haven't been around long enough to conduct true longevity studies in humans), there are several promising indicators:
Metabolic Health Improvements
GLP-1 agonists dramatically improve metabolic markers associated with longevity:
Reduced visceral fat (the dangerous fat around organs)
Improved insulin sensitivity
Lower chronic inflammation
Better cardiovascular health
Reduced fatty liver disease
These benefits occur even in non-diabetic patients and often precede significant weight loss, suggesting mechanisms beyond simply reducing body mass.
Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Potential
A very exciting area of research of GLP-1 agonists is for Alzheimer's disease prevention and treatment.
Multiple clinical trials are currently underway, based on promising early findings:
A 2021 analysis of nearly 50,000 patients found that those taking GLP-1 medications had a 27% lower risk of developing any form of dementia compared to those taking other diabetes treatments.
In lab studies, semaglutide reduced the formation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, the hallmark features of Alzheimer's disease.
These medications appear to enhance autophagy, the cellular "cleanup" process that removes damaged proteins and may help prevent neurodegenerative diseases.
In an article for the Hollywood Reporter, Dr. Caroline Messer, a leading Manhattan endocrinologist, said that many people walking into her office asking about microdosing Ozempic aren't interested in weight loss - they're worried about Alzheimer's risk due to family history.
"The key benefit isn't decreased blood sugar," she explained. "It decreases inflammation. In patients without diabetes, it doesn't lower blood sugar but still has that anti-inflammatory effect."
This connection makes perfect sense when you consider that Alzheimer's is sometimes called "Type 3 diabetes."
The brain of someone with Alzheimer's shows insulin resistance - strikingly similar to what happens in Type 2 diabetes.
The brain-diabetes link is one more reason why researchers are so interested in these medications beyond their original purpose.
The Psychedelic-Like Effects
Some users' reports of "psychedelic-like" mental states or perspectives while on these medications.
While no formal research has directly compared GLP-1 agonists to psychedelics, there are some interesting parallels in how they affect the brain.
Both appear to promote neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to form new neural connections
Both can reduce activity in the default mode network, the brain circuit associated with rumination and rigid thinking
Both seem to help people break out of entrenched thought patterns
This may be why people taking Ozempic experience not just reduced appetite, but a fundamentally different relationship with food, a shift in perspective rather than simply willpower.
Important Caveats
Before we get too excited, there are important limitations to consider:
Most neural effect studies are still preliminary, with small sample sizes
Long-term effects of these medications remain unknown
Access and cost issues limit who can benefit ($900-1,200 monthly without insurance)
Side effects can be significant for some patients
These are powerful medications that should only be used under medical supervision
My Take
I find this research fascinating because it challenges our understanding of the mind-body connection. A medication designed to treat diabetes is now showing promise for cognitive enhancement, addiction treatment, and possibly longevity.
This suggests our traditional separation of "metabolic health" from "brain health" may be artificial. Perhaps they're far more interconnected than we've appreciated.
It also raises interesting questions about how many of our thought patterns and behaviors, what we typically attribute to psychology or willpower, may have biological underpinnings that can be addressed through novel interventions.
For those interested in cognitive enhancement and longevity, GLP-1 medications warrant attention.
However, they're not magic pills, and their long-term effects remain to be seen.
📚 Book of the Week
The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel
Rating: ★★★★☆
This is the second historical fiction set in Nazi-occupied France by Kristin Harmel that I’ve read.
While not quite as good as The Winemaker’s Wife (Nina’s Notes BOTW #128), and definitely coming in third to my current favorite by Harmel, The Book of Lost Names, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
The story breaks your heart and then puts it back together with an uplifting ending.
The Paris Daughter follows Elise and Juliette, two young mothers who form an immediate bond in pre-war Paris.
Their carefree days of watching their daughters play together in the Bois de Boulogne park are shattered when the Nazi occupation forces Elise, now a target, to make an unthinkable decision - entrusting her daughter to Juliette for safekeeping.
Juliette's quaint bookshop, Librairie des Rêves (Bookshop of Dreams), becomes their sanctuary for her family + one more, until a bombing destroys everything.
When Elise returns after the war to reunite with her daughter, she finds only rubble where the bookshop once stood, and Juliette has vanished completely.
The search for answers eventually leads Elise to New York for one final encounter with Juliette, and a confrontation that reveals the true cost of survival and the lengths mothers will go to to protect their children.
⚡️ Check This Out
Synchron connected their brain implant to Apple's Vision Pro headset last year, allowing patients with paralysis to control technology using only their thoughts.
Their brain-computer interface (BCI) has already been implanted in 10 patients (six in the U.S. and four in Australia) as part of ongoing clinical studies.
One participant named Mark, a 64-year-old with ALS who has lost the use of his upper limbs, has been able to play solitaire, watch videos, and send text messages on the Apple Vision pPro just by thinking.
"Using this type of enhanced reality is so impactful," Mark shared. "It can transport you to places you never thought you'd see or experience again."
The technology works by translating neural signals into digital commands, giving people with limited mobility a new pathway to interact with the digital world.
While FDA approval is still needed for wider commercialization of Synchron’s BCI, this collaboration between Synchron and Apple shows how brain-computer interfaces are moving from science fiction to reality.
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Edited by Wright Time Publishing