If you're researching with GLP-1 medications like tirzepatide, semaglutide, or retatrutide and experiencing persistent nausea, acid reflux, or gut issues, I need you to stop and ask yourself one question: How much fat are you eating? After working with thousands of researchers in the peptide community and going through my own 70-pound transformation with tirzepatide, I can tell you with absolute certainty that excessive fat intake is the #1 reason people struggle with GLP-1 side effects. Not the dose. Not the peptide quality. Not some mysterious intolerance. It's the bacon, the cheese, the oils, and the butter that's sitting in your stomach like a brick. How GLP-1s Actually Work (And Why Fat Is the Problem) Here's what's happening in your body when you're on a GLP-1: GLP-1 receptor agonists dramatically slow gastric emptying—that's literally part of how they work. Your stomach takes significantly longer to move food into your small intestine. This slower digestion is a feature, not a bug. It's one of the primary mechanisms that helps with satiety and weight management. But here's the catch: fat is the slowest macronutrient to digest under normal circumstances. It takes your body 6-8 hours to fully process a high-fat meal even without GLP-1s involved. Now add a GLP-1 into the mix, and you're looking at fat sitting in your stomach for significantly longer. We're talking 10-12+ hours in some cases. That greasy burger you had for lunch? Still hanging out at dinner time. Why This Causes Your Symptoms When fat sits in your stomach for extended periods, three things happen: 1. Nausea and Fullness Your stomach is literally too full for too long. That uncomfortable, "I can't eat anything" feeling isn't just in your head—your stomach is still working on processing yesterday's ribeye. The prolonged distension triggers nausea receptors, making you feel sick. 2. Acid Reflux Fat stimulates more stomach acid production AND relaxes your lower esophageal sphincter (the valve that keeps acid in your stomach). Combine that with a full stomach that's emptying slowly, and you've created the perfect storm for acid reflux. That burning sensation, the bitter taste in your mouth, the nighttime cough—all of it ties back to fat hanging around too long.

Seriously - I went DEEP on this one. "Why Am I FREEZING 24/7 on Tirzepatide or Retatrutide?" I've been seeing this question EVERYWHERE in the community. Everyone's cold. Like, can't-stop-shivering, wearing-hoodies-in-summer, space-heater-at-your-desk cold. And the surface-level answer is easy: "You lost insulation, duh." But there is SO. MUCH. MORE. happening under the hood. What I Discovered While Researching This: This isn't just about fat loss. Your body is running a full-scale metabolic defense operation: 🧬 7 different physiological mechanisms all working together to make you cold 🔬 Metabolic adaptation that kicks in within THE FIRST WEEK of calorie restriction 🦋 Thyroid downregulation (even in people without thyroid issues) - your T3 drops significantly 🩸 Blood flow getting redirected away from your extremities 🧠 Brown adipose tissue changes that paradoxically make you colder 💪 The sneaky muscle loss that's stealing your body's heat generator And here's the kicker - I found recent 2024-2025 research showing EXACTLY what happens to your thyroid hormones when you lose weight on GLP-1s. The data is wild. But More Importantly: How to Fix It The second half of the article is all about reverse dieting and strategic carb refeeds - the actual protocols that can help restore your metabolic function and warm you back up. I'm talking: - Specific calorie increments - Why carbs are key for leptin and thyroid function - How refeeds work at the hormonal level - The actual timeline for metabolic recovery This is the stuff bodybuilders have been using for decades that's finally making its way into the peptide space. Why This Is My Favorite Because when you understand ALL the mechanisms - adaptive thermogenesis, euthyroid sick syndrome, peripheral vasoconstriction, diet-induced thermogenesis, NEAT reduction - suddenly it all makes sense. You're not broken. Your medication isn't "wrong." Your body is just doing EXACTLY what it evolved to do when it perceives an energy crisis.

Everyone's been asking me about Jay Campbell's recent podcast where he claimed GLP-1s are about to be completely shut down in the research and compounding space. His prediction? Eli Lilly is coming with lawsuits, Trump cut a deal, and by 2026 you won't be able to get sema or tirz anywhere except through prescription at their new "discounted" prices ($199-$299/month). Here's my issue: Jay spent half that podcast selling a $1,200/month follastin product. So when someone's pushing expensive products while saying affordable options of proven peptides are disappearing... 🤔 That said... Eli Lilly just hit a $1 TRILLION market cap. A monopoly on GLP-1s makes perfect business sense. And we saw what happened with SS-31—these shutdowns CAN happen fast. Speaking of SS-31, Ben and I covered that rapid shutdown in our podcast. If you want to see how quickly things can change in this space, check it out: 🎥 YouTube: https://youtu.be/oCjljZn2ZoU 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5KkQvR4xvgYKD1hLG7vKV7 📝 Show Notes: https://open.substack.com/pub/beyondthevial/p/beyond-the-vial-episode-2-black-friday My take? I don't think it'll be as dramatic as Jay claims, but I also wouldn't completely ignore the warning. Should you stock up? Maybe. Should you panic? No. I break down the whole situation, the political angle, what this could mean for research vendors, and what you should actually do about it. Read the full article here: https://open.substack.com/pub/derekpruski/p/will-glp-1s-disappear-from-the-research?r=4jq1x8&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true ⚠️ Full disclosure: This is 100% my opinion and speculation. I don't have insider info. Just giving you my honest take based on what I'm seeing.

The first episode of Derek's Declassified Research Survival Guide just dropped, and we're starting with a conversation that challenges everything most people think about using peptides for weight loss. I dropped a sneak peek of the podcast below - check it out and let me know what you think 👇 I sat down with @Laura PepFitCoach , a holistic peptide coach who spent years in the pharmaceutical industry and military before discovering the truth: peptides are tools, not magic bullets. Here's what we unpacked: ✅ The 3-Phase Framework - Why starting with peptides without a proper foundation sets you up to fail ✅ Exit Strategies - The most overlooked part of peptide therapy. What happens when you come off? How do you maintain results? ✅ The Nutrition Reality - You can't out-peptide a bad diet. Laura breaks down why nutrient density and proper eating habits matter more than the compound itself ✅ Metabolic Damage - How crash dieting and bodybuilding-style approaches destroy your metabolism and what to do instead ✅ The Mental Game - Both of us share our transformation stories (my 70lb journey, her 50lb COVID gain) and the psychological work required for lasting change Huge shoutout to Laura for being incredibly transparent about her journey and methodology. This is the kind of real, educational content this community deserves. This episode reinforced what we talk about here every day: education over hype, foundation over shortcuts, sustainability over quick fixes. 🎧 LISTEN NOW: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2lcU2zkYIG255aGk0aIJjW?si=kIAm0BT3QCiClyHj-372KQ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Derberfn Substack (Full Podcast): https://open.substack.com/pub/derekpruski/p/why-you-cant-out-peptide-a-bad-diet?r=4jq1x8&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Seeing a lot of frustrating DMs and comments about vendors not responding to reconstitution or dosing questions. Let me be clear about why: Research peptide companies legally CANNOT answer these questions. When you ask "how do I reconstitute this?" or "what should my research protocol be?" - you're implying human use. These companies operate under "research use only" licenses. The moment they provide guidance on human protocols, they're crossing a legal line that could shut them down entirely. Now I'm even seeing credit card processors won't allow vendors to respond to questions about cloudy peptides or peptides that gel up. This is getting even more restrictive - payment processors are cracking down hard on anything that could remotely imply human use. It's not that vendors are being unhelpful or ignoring you - it's a legal and financial liability they literally cannot take on. This is why this community exists. This is why we share information with each other. You're choosing to conduct your own research, which means YOU are responsible for educating yourself on: - Proper reconstitution techniques - Storage requirements - Research protocols - Safety considerations - What cloudy/gelled peptides mean Don't get upset with vendors for protecting themselves legally. Be smart, do your research, and take responsibility for your own decisions. Check the guides in the classroom section if you need help with the basics. 👊 Remember This Community Is All Anecdotal and Research Based. Not Medical Advice so DO Your OWN Research Please.