Every term you'll see during treatment, in plain English.

GLP-1 glucagon-like peptide-1

A hormone your body naturally releases after eating. It signals fullness to your brain, slows digestion, and helps regulate blood sugar. GLP-1 medications mimic this hormone at higher, longer-lasting levels — which is why they reduce appetite and support weight loss.

Why it matters: this is the drug class behind semaglutide and tirzepatide. When you see "GLP-1 therapy," it means this whole category.

Semaglutide

The active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy. A once-weekly GLP-1 medication that reduces appetite and slows stomach emptying, typically delivered by a small injection under the skin. Also available in sublingual (under-the-tongue) forms through compounding pharmacies.

Why it matters: brand names and the active ingredient are often used interchangeably — your prescription may say "semaglutide" even if you searched for a brand name.

Tirzepatide

The active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound. It works on two receptors instead of one — GLP-1 and GIP — which is why it's sometimes called a "dual agonist." In head-to-head studies, tirzepatide has shown greater average weight loss than semaglutide.

Why it matters: it's typically the step-up option if semaglutide results plateau, though it's usually priced higher.

GIP glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide

A second gut hormone involved in insulin release and fat metabolism. Tirzepatide targets GIP in addition to GLP-1, which may improve how your body processes energy and contribute to its stronger results.

Compounded medication

A medication prepared by a licensed compounding pharmacy rather than the original brand manufacturer. Compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide contains the same active ingredient, prepared to your prescribed dose, often at a significantly lower cost than brand-name versions.

Why it matters: compounded medications are how most telehealth patients access GLP-1s affordably. They are prescribed by licensed providers and filled by state-regulated pharmacies.

Brand name vs. compounded

Brand-name GLP-1s (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound) come in pre-filled injector pens from the manufacturer. Compounded versions come as vials with syringes, are dosed by your prescriber, and usually cost a fraction of the brand price. The active ingredient is the same; the source, format, and price differ.

Peptide

A short chain of amino acids — the building blocks of proteins. GLP-1 medications are peptides, as are many longevity and recovery compounds. The term simply describes the molecule's structure, not what it does.

NAD+ nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide

A coenzyme found in every cell that powers energy production and cellular repair. NAD+ levels decline with age, and supplementation — via injection or other routes — is used in longevity protocols to support energy, focus, and recovery.

Vitamin B12 & blends

Some compounded GLP-1 formulations include added ingredients like vitamin B12 or glycine. These are typically included to support energy levels and reduce nausea — a common early side effect — during treatment.

Sermorelin

A peptide that stimulates your pituitary gland to release more of your own growth hormone, rather than replacing it directly. It's used in longevity and recovery protocols to support sleep quality, muscle recovery, body composition, and energy — typically as a small nightly subcutaneous injection.

Why it matters: because it prompts your body's own production, sermorelin works with your natural hormone rhythms instead of overriding them — a key distinction from direct growth hormone therapy.

Tesamorelin

A growth hormone-releasing peptide, similar in mechanism to sermorelin but more potent, with clinical research specifically around reducing visceral fat — the deep abdominal fat linked to metabolic risk. Used in body composition and longevity protocols via subcutaneous injection.

MIC+B12 lipotropic injection, "lipo shot"

An injection combining methionine, inositol, and choline (MIC) — compounds involved in how your body metabolizes fat — with vitamin B12 for energy. Often used alongside a weight loss program to support fat metabolism and counter low energy from reduced calorie intake.

B12 injections

Injectable vitamin B12, which bypasses digestion for direct absorption. Used to support energy, metabolism, and focus — particularly helpful during GLP-1 treatment, when eating less can mean taking in fewer nutrients. Typically a quick weekly or biweekly subcutaneous or intramuscular shot.

Glutathione

Often called the body's "master antioxidant" — a molecule your cells produce to neutralize oxidative stress, support detoxification, and maintain immune function. Levels decline with age and stress, so it's supplemented by injection in wellness and longevity protocols for recovery and skin health.

Enclomiphene

An oral medication that signals your body to increase its own testosterone production — unlike testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), which supplies it externally. Because it preserves natural production and fertility, it's often used by men with low testosterone symptoms who want to avoid traditional TRT. Prescription-only, with treatment guided by lab work.

Why it matters: low energy, low drive, and stubborn body composition are often testosterone-related. Enclomiphene addresses the cause upstream rather than replacing the hormone outright.

Titration

The process of starting at a low dose and gradually increasing it over weeks or months. GLP-1s are titrated so your body can adjust, which minimizes side effects like nausea. A typical semaglutide schedule starts at 0.25 mg weekly and steps up every 4 weeks as tolerated.

Why it matters: titration is why your first months are lower-dose. Faster isn't better — the schedule exists to keep treatment comfortable and sustainable.

Maintenance dose

The dose you stay at once titration is complete and results are on track. Not everyone reaches the maximum dose — your maintenance dose is whatever level delivers results with manageable side effects.

Microdosing

Using doses below the standard schedule, either to minimize side effects, maintain results after weight loss, or support longevity goals rather than aggressive weight reduction. An increasingly common approach for long-term users.

Subcutaneous injection "sub-Q"

An injection into the fatty tissue just under the skin — not into muscle or a vein. GLP-1s use a very small, short needle, typically in the stomach, thigh, or upper arm. Most patients describe it as nearly painless.

Sublingual

Medication absorbed under the tongue instead of injected. Sublingual semaglutide is a needle-free option available through compounding pharmacies, taken daily rather than weekly.

Why it matters: if needles are the reason you've held off, sublingual formats remove that barrier.

Injection site rotation

Alternating where you inject each week — for example, left side of the stomach, then right side, then thigh. Rotation prevents skin irritation and keeps absorption consistent.

Dose escalation schedule

The written plan your prescriber sets for when and how your dose increases — for example, "increase to 0.5 mg at week 5 if tolerated." Your refills and check-ins are timed around this schedule.

Asynchronous visit

A medical consultation that doesn't happen in real time. You complete a detailed health questionnaire, and a licensed provider reviews it and responds — usually within a day. No video call or appointment required, though one can be requested when needed.

Why it matters: this is how most telehealth GLP-1 prescriptions work. It's a legitimate, regulated form of care in most states.

Intake questionnaire

The health history form you complete before treatment. It covers your weight history, current medications, and medical conditions so a provider can determine whether GLP-1 therapy is safe and appropriate for you. Answer it honestly — it's the foundation of your care.

Licensed prescriber

A doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant licensed in your state who reviews your intake and writes your prescription. Telehealth providers must hold a license in the state where you're located.

503A vs. 503B pharmacy

Two categories of compounding pharmacies under FDA rules. A 503A pharmacy compounds patient-specific prescriptions. A 503B "outsourcing facility" produces larger batches under stricter FDA oversight. Both are legal and regulated; they differ in scale and inspection requirements.

Refill authorization

Your prescriber's approval for the next round of medication, usually tied to a brief check-in about your progress and side effects. Because doses change during titration, GLP-1 refills typically require this review rather than auto-shipping.

Telehealth state licensing

The reason availability varies by state. Providers and pharmacies must be licensed in your state of residence, so a treatment offered in one state may be unavailable or formatted differently in another.

A1C hemoglobin A1C

A blood test showing your average blood sugar over the past 2–3 months. GLP-1s were originally developed to lower A1C in type 2 diabetes — their weight loss effect is what expanded their use.

BMI body mass index

A screening number calculated from height and weight. Many programs use a BMI of 27+ (with a weight-related condition) or 30+ as an eligibility threshold. It's an imperfect measure — it doesn't distinguish muscle from fat — but it remains the standard screening tool.

Satiety

The feeling of fullness and reduced desire to eat. GLP-1s increase satiety — most patients describe it as "food noise going quiet." You feel satisfied with smaller portions rather than fighting hunger with willpower.

Gastric emptying

How quickly food leaves your stomach. GLP-1s slow this process, which extends fullness after meals. It's also why eating smaller, lighter meals early in treatment reduces nausea.

Insulin resistance

When your cells stop responding efficiently to insulin, making it harder to regulate blood sugar and easier to store fat. It's a common driver of weight gain, and improving it is one of the ways GLP-1s support metabolic health beyond the scale.

Off-label use

When a provider prescribes an FDA-approved medication for a purpose other than its original approval. This is a legal, common practice in medicine — for example, prescribing a diabetes-approved GLP-1 for weight management before a weight-specific version existed.

Plateau

A stretch where weight loss stalls despite consistent treatment. Plateaus are normal — your body adapts. Options include dose adjustments, switching medications, or focusing on strength training and protein intake to change body composition.

Body recomposition

Losing fat while maintaining or building muscle, rather than just lowering the number on the scale. During GLP-1 treatment, resistance training and adequate protein are the levers that protect muscle as weight comes down.

GI side effects

The most common category of GLP-1 side effects: nausea, constipation, heartburn, or diarrhea, especially in the first weeks and after dose increases. They're caused by slowed digestion and usually fade as your body adapts.

Why it matters: smaller meals, more protein, less grease, and slower eating resolve most of it. Persistent or severe symptoms are a reason to message your provider — not to push through.

Nausea management

The playbook for the most common early side effect: eat smaller portions, avoid fatty and fried foods, stay hydrated, don't lie down after meals, and consider ginger or peppermint. Some compounded formulations include anti-nausea support ingredients, and prescribers can slow your titration if needed.

Injection site reaction

Mild redness, itching, or a small bump where you injected. Usually harmless and gone within a day or two. Rotating injection sites and letting alcohol dry fully before injecting prevents most reactions.

"Ozempic face"

A media term — not a medical one — for facial volume loss after rapid weight loss from any cause, not just GLP-1s. Losing fat means losing it everywhere, including the face. Slower, steady weight loss, adequate protein, and strength training reduce the effect.

Treatment fatigue

Low energy during early treatment, usually from eating significantly fewer calories than your body is used to. Prioritizing protein, hydration, and electrolytes typically resolves it. Formulations with added B12 are designed partly with this in mind.

Lyophilized freeze-dried

Medication shipped as a powder rather than a liquid. Freeze-drying keeps peptides stable during shipping and storage. Before use, it's mixed with bacteriostatic water — a process called reconstitution.

Reconstitution

Mixing a lyophilized (powdered) medication with bacteriostatic water to prepare it for injection. Your pharmacy provides exact instructions for how much water to add — the amount determines the concentration, so follow it precisely. Many compounded medications arrive pre-mixed and skip this step entirely.

Why it matters: this is the step that intimidates first-timers most, and it takes about two minutes once you've done it. Our injection guides walk through it visually.

Bacteriostatic water

Sterile water with a small amount of benzyl alcohol that prevents bacterial growth, allowing a mixed vial to be used for multiple doses over several weeks. It is not the same as regular sterile water, which lacks the preservative.

Units vs. mg

Your prescription is written in milligrams (mg), but insulin syringes are marked in units. The conversion depends on your vial's concentration — for example, on a common concentration, 0.25 mg might equal 10 units. Your pharmacy's dosing sheet gives the exact conversion for your vial.

Why it matters: this is the single most common dosing question. Never guess — check your dosing sheet or use our dosing calculator.

Cold chain shipping

Temperature-controlled shipping — insulated packaging with ice packs — that keeps your medication within its safe range in transit. Peptides degrade in heat, so shipments are timed to avoid weekends and you'll want to refrigerate on arrival.

Beyond-use date BUD

The compounding pharmacy's expiration date for your specific vial — typically a set number of days after mixing or dispensing. It's usually shorter than a manufactured drug's shelf life. Check your vial label and don't use medication past its BUD.

Monthly, 3-month & 6-month plans

How often you're billed for your treatment. A monthly plan bills every month, a 3-month plan bills once per quarter, and a 6-month plan bills twice a year. Longer plans offer the lowest effective monthly price because you're committing to a longer treatment window up front.

Why it matters: GLP-1 results build over months, not weeks — most patients see the best outcomes on 3–6 month horizons, which is why longer plans are priced to encourage consistency.

Refill cadence

How often your medication ships, which follows your billing plan: monthly plans refill every month, 3-month plans refill quarterly, and 6-month plans refill twice per year (once per quarter-pair). Each refill is reviewed against your current dose, so shipments stay in sync with your titration schedule.

Auto-renew

The setting that automatically continues your plan and billing at the end of each cycle so treatment isn't interrupted. You're in control of it: auto-renew can be turned off anytime from your patient portal, and your plan will simply end at the close of the current cycle.

Why it matters: turning off auto-renew doesn't cancel your current plan or stop a shipment you've already paid for — it just prevents the next cycle from starting.

Pausing treatment

Temporarily stopping shipments and billing without canceling your account — useful for travel, surgery, budgeting, or taking a maintenance break. Pausing keeps your treatment history and provider relationship intact, so restarting is faster than signing up again.

Why it matters: if you've been on a higher dose, ask your provider before restarting after a long pause — you may need to re-titrate from a lower dose rather than resuming where you left off.

Patient portal

Your account dashboard — where you message your provider, track shipments, view your dosing instructions, update payment details, pause treatment, and manage auto-renew. Anything about your plan that you'd otherwise email support about can usually be handled here in a few clicks.

Cancellation

Ending your plan entirely. You can cancel from your patient portal; your plan remains active through the period you've already paid for. If you think you might return, pausing preserves your history and makes restarting easier than a full cancellation.