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The Peptide Podcast

The Peptide Podcast

By: The Peptide Queen
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 The Peptide Podcast is on a mission to help people enjoy making decisions about their health and wellness. Staying informed with our SIMPLE, FAST, FUN approach. We keep you up-to-date on everything peptides. From disease management and prevention to performance health, anti-aging strategies, and more. We give you accurate, unbiased information so you can choose the peptides that suit YOU best. In our casual and easy-to-understand style, we’ll help you save time and energy for what matters most. About the host: Our experienced clinical pharmacist, The Peptide Queen, knows all too well that the internet is flawed, confusing, and hard to navigate. She has over 14 years of experience in retail, hospital, and specialty pharmacy, with certifications in peptide therapy, international travel medicine, immunization delivery, and pharmacogenomics. She’s passionate about helping you stay informed, save time, and feel less overwhelmed by the amount of information (or misinformation) on the internet.This website and its content are copyright of The Peptide Podcast - All rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited. Alternative & Complementary Medicine Exercise & Fitness Fitness, Diet & Nutrition Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • What to Expect on GLP-1 Medications

    What to Expect on GLP-1 Medications
    Jun 26 2025
    Thank you for listening to The Peptide Podcast. If you enjoyed the show and want to support what we do, head over to our Partners Page. You'll find some amazing brands we trust—and by checking them out, you're helping us keep the podcast going. Today we’re diving into a topic that’s been everywhere lately: GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide for weight loss. You may know them by names like Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro, or Zepbound. I want to give you a clear, realistic picture of what to expect—because while the media loves to highlight the dramatic before-and-after photos, the real journey can be slower and more nuanced for some. So in this episode, we’re going to talk about the truth—what these medications can do, what they can’t, how long things really take, and what you need to know to set yourself up for success. Not hype, not magic promises—just real, honest insight to help you understand the process. Let’s get into it. How GLP-1 & GIP/GLP-1 Agonists Work So first things first—how do these meds work? Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, and tirzepatide is a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist. Basically, they mimic natural hormones in your body that help regulate blood sugar, slow digestion, and—most importantly for weight loss—reduce appetite and improve satiety. That means you feel fuller faster and stay full longer. You're not obsessing over food like before. And that’s powerful. But—and this is a big one— these peptides don't magically erase years of weight gain overnight. What they do is help make weight loss easier by reducing hunger and supporting your metabolism—but they don't do all the work for you. It’s important to remember they're a powerful tool, not a replacement for your efforts. You're still in control of your choices, habits, and long-term success. Why We Titrate the Dose—and What "Therapeutic Dose" Means Now, let’s talk about dosing. When you start Wegovy, you don’t start at the highest dose. It’s gradually increased over several weeks to give your body time to adjust and to help reduce side effects like nausea or stomach upset. The usual schedule looks like this: You’ll start with 0.25 mg once a week for the first month. Then it increases every four weeks—0.5 mg, then 1 mg, then 1.7 mg. By week 17, most people reach the full dose of 2.4 mg once a week—that’s the dose shown in studies to lead to the most consistent weight loss, with many people losing around 15% of their total body weight over about a year. But here’s the thing—not everyone follows this path exactly, and that’s okay. Some people need to slow down or stay longer at a lower dose if they’re having side effects. Others may need to increase sooner if they’re not seeing appetite changes and are tolerating the medication well. And even though 2.4 mg is considered the “therapeutic dose,” not everyone needs to reach it. Some people feel great and lose weight at a lower dose—and if that’s you, that’s your sweet spot. The real goal is to find the lowest effective dose that controls your hunger, helps you lose weight at a steady pace, and keeps side effects to a minimum. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey, and pushing through side effects just to hit the max dose isn’t necessary—or safe. Your best dose is the one your body handles well and helps you make progress. *How Much Weight Can You Expect to Lose—and How Fast? Let’s take a look at the clinical studies. In large trials, people on semaglutide lost about 15% of their total body weight over 68 weeks. For tirzepatide, it was even higher—20% or more in some cases. But here’s the thing—those results happened over a year to a year and a half. Not 6 weeks. Not 3 months. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Also, most of the weight loss doesn't happen during the titration phase. You may see some weight loss early on, especially if your appetite plummets. But the bulk of the weight loss happens once you reach and maintain your therapeutic dose. Why Everyone’s Journey Looks Different I can’t stress this enough—everybody’s journey is different. Some people feel zero hunger from their very first injection. Others don’t notice a big change until week 10 or 12. Some drop 10 pounds in the first month. Others lose two pounds and feel discouraged. All of those experiences are normal. Your age, hormones, medications, stress levels, sleep, and past diet history? They all play a role. And let’s be real—gaining 20, 50, or 100 pounds didn’t happen in a few weeks, right? It likely took months or even years of lifestyle habits, hormonal shifts, emotional eating, or underlying conditions. So we have to give ourselves that same grace and patience when we’re trying to take the weight off—even with medical support. Navigating Side Effects and Setbacks Let’s talk about the side effects. Nausea, constipation, acid reflux, bloating—yeah, these are pretty common ...
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    11 mins
  • 5-Amino-1MQ

    5-Amino-1MQ
    Jun 19 2025
    Thank you for listening to The Peptide Podcast. If you enjoyed the show and want to support what we do, head over to our Partners Page. You'll find some amazing brands we trust—and by checking them out, you're helping us keep the podcast going. Today, we’re taking a close look at 5-Amino-1MQ—a compound gaining attention for its potential to improve fat loss, metabolic health, and longevity. We’ll break down how it works, the science behind it, and what that could mean for your health. Let’s get started. So, What Is 5-Amino-1MQ? Now, just to clear something up—5-Amino-1MQ isn’t actually a peptide. A lot of people assume it is because it's often talked about alongside peptides like semaglutide or BPC-157, but it's actually a small molecule compound. Its full name is 5-Amino-1-methyl-quino-linium—yeah, a bit of a mouthful—and it's designed to block an enzyme called NNMT. By doing that, it helps keep more NAD⁺ available in your cells, which is a big deal for energy production and metabolic health. It was originally developed in the world of metabolic research. Scientists were exploring ways to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce fat accumulation—especially the dangerous kind, visceral fat. So, while it plays in the same space as peptides when it comes to benefits—like fat loss, energy, and longevity—it’s a totally different kind of compound. Think of it more like a targeted metabolic activator than a signaling peptide. Before we move on, I want to talk about visceral fat for a bit. Visceral fat is the fat that builds up deep inside your abdomen, around your internal organs like your liver, pancreas, and intestines. It’s different from the fat you can pinch under your skin—like on your belly or thighs. That’s called subcutaneous fat. Now, why is visceral fat a problem? Because it’s metabolically active, which means it doesn’t just sit there—it releases hormones and inflammatory chemicals that can mess with your body’s systems. High levels of visceral fat are linked to things like insulin resistance, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and a greater risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even certain cancers. So even if someone looks slim on the outside, having too much visceral fat on the inside can still be dangerous for their health. *What Is NNMT and Why Do We Want to Block It? Let’s Talk About The Science. NNMT stands for nicotinamide N-methyltransferase. This enzyme tends to be more active in people who are overweight or have metabolic issues. When that happens, it uses up a lot of something called NAD⁺—a compound your cells need to create energy, especially in the mitochondria, which are like the power plants of your cells. So when NNMT levels go up, here’s what tends to happen: You end up with less NAD⁺, your metabolism slows down, your body stores more fat, and your cells just don’t have the same energy or resilience. That’s where 5-Amino-1MQ comes in. It blocks NNMT, helping your cells hold onto more NAD⁺—and that changes everything. The Metabolic Benefits of Blocking NNMT *So what happens when you increase NAD⁺ inside your cells? Well, in studies—especially in animal models—5-Amino-1MQ led to: Fat breakdown and reduced fat accumulation Improved insulin sensitivity A 30% drop in cholesterol levels And get this—mice lost 5% of their body weight in just 11 days, without changes to diet or exercise. And here’s the kicker—no signs of toxicity or behavioral changes. No weird side effects. Just better metabolic function. Muscle Preservation & Longevity Pathways *One of the most promising things about 5-Amino-1MQ goes beyond fat loss—it’s what it could mean for preserving muscle. Blocking NNMT might actually help you keep your muscle while you’re losing fat. That’s a big deal—especially if you’ve ever tried to drop weight and felt like you were losing strength along with it. This is important because most weight loss methods cause you to lose both fat and muscle, which can slow your metabolism and reduce strength. Preserving muscle while burning fat helps you maintain energy, performance, and long-term metabolic health. There’s also some solid evidence it can boost muscle performance and endurance, which tracks when you think about how it raises NAD⁺. And because NAD⁺ is involved in things like cell repair, mitochondrial function, and longevity pathways like sirtuin activation, you’re not just burning fat—you’re potentially supporting healthy aging and helping your body work more efficiently overall. Oral vs Injectable 5-Amino-1MQ: What’s the Difference? People often ask me, “Should I take 5-Amino-1MQ as a pill or go with injections?” Here’s the deal, the injectable version gets into your system faster and starts working a bit quicker. On the other hand, the oral version takes a little longer to kick in, but it’s way more convenient—just take a capsule and you’re good. ...
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    6 mins
  • Breaking Through GLP-1 Weight Loss Plateaus

    Breaking Through GLP-1 Weight Loss Plateaus
    Jun 12 2025
    Welcome to The Peptide Podcast. Today we’re going to talk about something that almost everyone on a GLP-1 journey hits eventually, the weight loss plateau. Thank you for listening to The Peptide Podcast. If you enjoyed the show and want to support what we do, head over to our Partners Page. You'll find some amazing brands we trust—and by checking them out, you're helping us keep the podcast going. It starts like this: you begin a GLP-1 like semaglutide or tirzepatide, and for the first few weeks or months, the weight seems to fall off. You’re eating less, not obsessing over food, and for the first time in a long time, it feels… easy. Then one day, the scale just stops moving. You’re not doing anything different. You’re still taking the meds. Still trying to eat well. Maybe you’re walking more or lifting weights. But suddenly, nothing’s happening—and the frustration kicks in. Sound familiar? Let’s talk about what’s really going on. 1. What Causes the Plateau? First of all, if you’re in this place right now: you didn’t mess up. GLP-1s are incredibly effective at reducing appetite and creating an initial calorie deficit, which is why people lose weight so quickly in the beginning. But your body isn’t just going to let that continue unchecked. It adapts. This is called adaptive thermogenesis—a fancy way of saying your body becomes more efficient. You start burning fewer calories at rest than you did before. Your resting metabolic rate actually drops beyond what you'd expect just from losing weight alone. It’s a survival mechanism. So what worked at the beginning—eating less and moving a bit more—might no longer be enough to keep the scale moving. This is totally normal. 2. Metabolism & Muscle: Why Strength Training Matters Now More Than Ever So now that we know why the plateau happens, let’s talk about things we can do to help us get over it. Something that often gets overlooked but is absolutely critical—especially if you’re on a GLP-1 or in any kind of calorie deficit. Resistance training is not optional. It’s non-negotiable. Here’s why. When you’re losing weight—whether it’s from a medication like semaglutide or just eating in a calorie deficit—your body isn’t just pulling energy from fat. If you’re not careful, it’s also going to break down lean muscle tissue. And the more muscle you lose, the slower your metabolism gets. Why? Because muscle is metabolically active tissue. It burns calories even when you’re doing absolutely nothing. So if you’re not actively sending a signal to your body to keep that muscle, it’ll start to let it go. That’s where resistance training comes in. When you lift weights or do bodyweight exercises—think squats, push-ups, resistance bands, even heavy housework—you’re telling your body: “Hey, I need this muscle. Don’t burn it for fuel.” This is especially important for those on GLP-1s because these meds reduce appetite so significantly that you might not be eating enough protein—or enough calories in general—to maintain muscle without that extra stimulus. So if you’ve hit a plateau or want to prevent one, ask yourself: Am I strength training at least two to three times a week? Am I prioritizing movements that challenge large muscle groups—like legs, glutes, chest, and back? Am I fueling my workouts with enough protein? And let me be really clear, you don’t have to become a gym rat. You don’t have to lift crazy heavy weights. But you do have to move your muscles in a meaningful, consistent way. Protecting your lean mass is one of the best ways to keep your metabolism humming—not just during your weight loss journey, but after it too. Because this isn’t about just losing weight—it’s about building a strong, metabolically healthy body that can maintain that weight loss for life. 3. Mindset Check: The Plateau Is Not a Failure Now, let’s get into the mental side of this journey—because it’s just as important as nutrition, movement, and medication. One of the biggest challenges people face—especially when progress slows—is the mental roller coaster that comes with watching the scale. And I’ll be honest: weighing yourself every single day is not ideal. Here’s why. Your body weight naturally fluctuates. Daily. And those fluctuations have nothing to do with your actual fat loss or long-term progress. Instead, the number on the scale is influenced by things like: Hydration status – If you’re slightly dehydrated, the scale may dip. But if you drank a ton of water the day before or had more salty food, it may go up due to water retention. Glycogen stores – When you eat carbs, your body stores them in your muscles and liver as glycogen, and for every gram of glycogen, your body stores about 3–4 grams of water. So a pasta dinner or even a healthy grain bowl can cause a temporary increase on the scale. Digestive contents – Let’s be real: if you haven...
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    12 mins

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