GLP-1 Weight Loss Hacks: the Nutrition Secrets You Can’t Ignore

GLP-1 tirzepatide and semaglutide drugs for weight loss are everywhere—in fact, their use has more than tripled since 2019 [1]. But with all their popularity, people often don’t realize there’s more to taking weight loss medications than just getting a prescription.

Knowing how to get the most out of medications like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy can make all the difference when it comes to how you look and feel during and after your weight loss.

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The Science People Aren’t Talking About

Weight loss medications decrease appetite and suppress hunger signals—that’s why they work, right? But there’s a downside to all of this that can leave you with all sorts of unwanted side effects.

But before you run away screaming, be aware that these side effects can be managed if you know what to do. I’m talking about nutrient deficiencies (or really, insufficiencies is more technically correct). While it hasn’t been widely studied yet, physicians have been reporting nutrient deficiencies [2] in their patients who are taking weight loss medications. A 2024 study showed a decrease in certain nutrients, like zinc and vitamin B12, after administration of semaglutide.

Since weight loss drugs suppress appetite, people eat less. Fewer calories mean fewer nutrients. Plus, people living in bigger bodies statistically have more nutrient deficiencies [3] to begin with.

The mechanism that helps people on GLP-1 drugs eat less also happens to decrease stomach acidity [4], which makes it harder for your body to absorb nutrients. A few typical nutritional insufficiencies are:

Copper: Supports energy production, iron metabolism, and collagen formation. Deficiency signs: Fatigue, brittle hair, frequent illness, anemia.
Zinc: Boosts immune function, wound healing, and hormone balance. Deficiency signs: Slow healing, hair loss, acne, low libido, poor taste/smell.
Magnesium: Regulates muscle and nerve function, sleep quality, and blood sugar Deficiency signs: Muscle cramps, anxiety, insomnia, irregular heartbeat
B12: Aids red blood cell formation, brain health, and DNA synthesis. Deficiency signs: Brain fog, numbness/tingling, fatigue, mood swings.
Vitamin D: Strengthens bones, supports immunity, and regulates mood. Deficiency signs: Low energy, frequent colds, depression, bone pain.
Iron: Delivers oxygen via red blood cells, prevents fatigue, and supports cognition. Deficiency signs: Pale skin, weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath.
Calcium: Builds strong bones and teeth, supports muscle contraction, and nerve signaling. Deficiency signs: Brittle nails, muscle spasms, poor bone density, numbness.
Protein: Builds muscle, repairs tissue, produces enzymes and hormones. Deficiency signs: Fatigue, poor recovery, hair thinning, frequent illness.
Fiber: Supports digestion, regulates blood sugar, and feeds gut bacteria. Deficiency signs: Constipation, cravings, bloating, unstable energy.

What to Do About It

Eat a Nutrient-Rich Diet

Focusing on a whole food diet and avoiding processed foods can go a long way. For nutrients like vitamin D, B12, and iron, focus on getting organ meats, bone broth, fish, eggs, yogurt and cheese. Cooking your food in an iron skillet can help boost the iron content in your food, and pairing iron-rich foods like beef with foods rich in vitamin C, like tomatoes, can boost the absorption. don’t forget your veggies, either. Dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds, beans, and fruit all contain useful compounds that your body needs.

Chew Your Food Thoroughly

This is all about giving your body a fighting chance to access as many nutrients as possible from the food you eat.

Chewing breaks food up into smaller particles, which increases the surface area available when the food gets to the stomach. More surface area means the stomach acids can extract more of the nutrients in your food.

Chewing also cues bile production, making your stomach more acidic. If you want to increase stomach acidity more, you can try adding lemon to your water at meals, drinking diluted Bragg’s apple cider vinegar before meals, or using a digestive enzyme supplement like Thorne Advanced Digestive Enzymes.

Take a Multivitamin

Taking a multivitamin is the best way to start covering all the bases, so to speak. But choosing the right multivitamin can be tricky, so be sure you know what to look out for!

Tip: The supplement industry in the U.S. is largely unregulated, meaning low-quality products—often made with cheap, synthetic ingredients—can easily hit the market. Many manufacturers prioritize profit over absorption, using toxic fillers and synthetic forms like folic acid and cyanocobalamin that up to half the population can’t properly process. To choose wisely, look for “methyl” forms of folate and B-12, and stick with brands that value transparency and trust. I’ve included affiliate links to the ones I personally use and recommend to clients.

Thorne Basic Nutrients covers a baseline of vitamins and minerals and makes it low-maintenance and easy. Thorne is a great brand with a stellar reputation. Their website even has a quiz that helps recommend the right supplement for you!

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Taking a multivitamin is a great first step in covering any nutrient gaps. But be on the lookout for interactions with any medications and always ask your medical provider if you are unsure of something.

Read more about what to look for (and what to avoid) in a multivitamin in this blog post.

Add a Few More Key Nutrients

While a multivitamin is a good place to start, most multis are formulated for the general population, meaning they don’t have people on a weight loss journey in mind. Adding a few extra nutrients can make a big difference, though.

One of the main reasons additional supplements are needed is that the decreased stomach acids make it harder for the body to access the vitamins and minerals in foods, especially those high in proteins and dietary fats.

Here are some key nutrients to consider supplementing:

Vitamin B12: A cognition booster that also helps the body deal with stress, B12 is most often found in protein-rich animal products like meat, cheese, and egg yolks. This is the one I recommend to clients.
Vitamin D: Improves energy and digestive function. A fat-soluble vitamin, the levels of which are often lowered in people with low stomach acid. Check your levels and supplement with vitamin D as needed.
Calcium: Linked to strong bones, calcium is an important nutrient for anyone on a weight loss journey. The decreased stomach pH associated with GLP-1 can mean less of the calcium in your diet makes it into your bloodstream. Taking Thorne’s calcium/magnesium supplement is ideal, since both nutrients may be at risk of deficiency.
Magnesium: Decreased nutrient absorption while on GLP-1s can mean suboptimal levels of this important mineral that supports healthy blood pressure levels, tissue elasticity, and nerve signaling. Again, Thorne’s calcium/magnesium supplement is a great choice, since there is a likelihood of deficiency in both calcium and magnesium.
Zinc: Important for hormone balance and immune function, zinc is found in animal products like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. Zinc supplements usually come in 15 and 30-milligram dosages, but be aware that more isn’t always better, since too much zinc can lead to deficiency in copper. Starting on a 15-milligram dose is more practical unless directed otherwise by your medical professional. Thorne 15 mg zinc bisglycinate has superior absorption and is what I recommend and use.
Iron: Low iron can make you feel sluggish and bruise easily. It is important to consult your medical provider and to test your levels before supplementing iron, as it can be dangerous to have too much. Most people could consider cooking their food in a cast-iron pan, as this is a safer way to add small amounts of iron to foods. If you already know you have a deficiency, using a high-bioavailability Thorne Iron Bisglycinate can help reduce unwanted GI side effects.

A great way to make sure you take your supplements is to pair them up with another habit, like brushing your teeth or taking medications. Be sure to check for interactions, as some nutrients and medications should not be taken at the same time and may interact or decrease each other’s efficacy.

Hydrate Properly

Besides it being a good idea in general, being well-hydrated is especially important when taking GLP-1 weight loss medications.

Manage Side Effects Better: Water helps decrease side effects like dizziness, headaches, nausea, and constipation, plus it helps you rehydrate if you experience vomiting.
Support Metabolic Function: Water helps support kidney function, which helps your body clear excess glucose. This leads to more stable blood sugar levels throughout the day. Hydration also optimizes cellular metabolism when appetite is reduced.
Cognitive Benefits: Hydration is critical for preventing brain fog and maintaining electrolyte balance, which can in turn affect both hunger and mood.
Satiety and Digestion: Dehydration can mimic hunger, which can lead to excess food consumption. Water consumption can also increase the feeling of satiety between meals, plus it improves digestion.
Improves Medication Efficacy: Dehydration can alter medication absorption and tolerance, which may change how well your medication works for you.

Be sure to make water consumption a priority between meals by keeping a reusable glass or stainless steel water bottle with you throughout the day.

You can also check out this blog post for more hydration tips.

Add protein

Protein is essential for building cells, muscles, hormones, and antibodies, and even helps carry oxygen through your bloodstream. When you’re getting enough, you feel energized, resilient, and strong. But when intake dips too low, it can trigger fatigue, poor sleep, mood swings, frequent illness, and stalled muscle growth.

A simple rule of thumb: aim for a palm-sized portion of protein at each meal and include it in every snack—think 2 eggs, a cup of cottage cheese, or 1-2 scoops of your go-to protein powder. Small habit, big impact.

Read more about protein in this blog post. Check out this protein calculator if you’re curious about how much protein you need.

Add Fiber

Fiber comes in two forms—soluble and insoluble—and both play powerful roles in your health. Soluble fiber helps regulate blood sugar and supports liver detox, while insoluble fiber keeps digestion moving and feeds gut bacteria that produce feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin.

You’ll find fiber in plants: veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains. But don’t be fooled by “high-fiber” labels on sugary cereals that spike cravings and crash energy. Most people get far too little fiber (under 15g daily), when optimal health calls for 38–50g.

It is a good idea to make sure you are properly hydrating before ramping up fiber intake significantly, since too much fiber and too little water can lead to gas and bloating.

Read more about fiber in this blog post.

Make it a Habit

Starting new habits can be hard, so be sure to give yourself lots of ways to be successful. Above all, try not to attach morality to your new habit. You’re still a good person even if you aren’t perfect at it. You aren’t a failure if something doesn’t work out for you — just adjust and keep going.

If you want to learn more about habit change, nutrition, and how to make it stick, check out this habit change course. It’s inexpensive and has lots of great tips and information. Happy hydrating!