The Peptide Eraevidence, not hype

Tool

What to expect on a GLP-1

Pick a medicine to see the average weight-loss trajectory from its landmark trial, when side effects tend to show up, and what to focus on at each stage. This is the trial average — not a prediction for you. Real results vary a lot.

Average percent body-weight loss over time0%5%10%15%20%wk 0122436486072
Average % body-weight reduction over time. Endpoints are the published trial means; the curve shape between is approximate. These averages come from trials of adults with obesitywithout type 2 diabetes; people with diabetes typically lose somewhat less.Individual results vary widely — in these trials some people lost more than 20–25% and some lost little. The labels on the right show the share of participants who reached each level, so you can see how the odds thin out toward the top. Not a prediction. Sources:.

Set your own expectation

Drag the slider to the result you’re hoping for, and see how often that actually happened in the trial. You can’t choose your result — this just shows the real odds, honestly, so your hopes start out anchored to what the evidence really found.

0%a top-tier response →

Saved only in this browser, on your device — never on our servers. This is an illustration to calibrate expectations, not a target to chase or a promise of any result.

—average loss at trial end
—by about 6 months
—by about 3 months

The side-effect timeline (typical pattern)

  1. Weeks 1–4Starting out, and the first step-up. Nausea, mild GI symptoms are most likely now. Small meals, steady fluids. Most of it eases with time.
  2. Weeks 4–20Each dose increase can bring a fresh wave of GI symptoms that then settles. Weight loss usually picks up. Protect protein and muscle from here.
  3. Months 5–12For most people side effects have settled. Loss continues but slows as you approach the trial-average plateau. Resistance training matters most now.
  4. The plateauLoss flattening is expected, not failure — the body settles at a new set point. The question shifts to maintenance.
  5. If you stopThese curves reflect ongoing treatment. In the trials, most people who stopped regained much of the weight over the following months. Whether and how long to continue is a decision for you and your clinician — the Off-Ramp Planner walks through it.

Some symptoms are not "wait it out" — severe or persistent belly pain, signs of dehydration, or an allergic reaction need urgent care. And because these medicines slow the stomach, tell any surgical or anaesthesia team that you take a GLP-1.

Symptom details and red flags: Side-Effect Helper → · Protect muscle: Protein Reality Check →