Stronger with Don Saladino

Episode Title: The Truth About Weight Loss Drugs With Dr. Dwayne Jackson
Date: October 7, 2025
Host: Don Saladino
Guest: Dr. Dwayne Jackson

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the truth behind weight loss peptides, especially focusing on GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic and Mounjaro, with Dr. Dwayne Jackson, an expert and researcher on peptides for over 30 years. The conversation explores what peptides are, how GLP-1 drugs work, the nuanced benefits and risks for weight loss, sourcing challenges, and responsible medical use. They also address commonly held myths and emphasize the importance of real lifestyle changes, not just quick fixes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Peptides 101: Understanding the Basics

• Definition: Peptides are simply short chains of amino acids. Some are as short as three amino acids but can have major biological effects (03:10–03:44).
• Historical Context: Dr. Jackson completed his PhD on peptides at Yale back in 2000, at a time when few people outside research even knew what they were (02:53–02:59).
  • Quote: "A peptide is simply a few amino acids linked together... can have a whole variety of biological functions."
    — Dr. Jackson (03:20)

2. GLP-1s and Weight Loss: The Science

• Examples of GLP-1 Drugs: Ozempic, Mounjaro, Tirzepatide. These imitate satiety hormones, diminish cravings, and have significant medical benefits for those with obesity and metabolic syndrome (04:46–06:26).
  • Quote: “Glucagon-like peptide is one of the satiety hormones... it’s going to make you feel fuller.”
    — Dr. Jackson (04:59)
• Personal Experimentation: Dr. Jackson took these drugs himself to understand clients’ experiences, noting a powerful reduction in cravings (“food noise”) (05:43–06:31).
  • Quote: "I had a lot of clients coming to me trying to figure out their diet while they're being prescribed... so I decided, okay, I've got to see what the big attraction is here."
    — Dr. Jackson (05:31)

3. Who Should Use GLP-1s?

• Ideal Candidates: Severely obese, with metabolic issues (e.g., high insulin, high blood glucose), not for those just looking to lose 5–10 lbs (09:12–09:55).
• Risks of Misuse: Using peptides as a shortcut for minor weight loss or without changing diet/training can backfire (13:01–14:47).
  • Quote: “This shouldn’t be a quick fix. This should be something… with the thought process of making a lifestyle change.”
    — Don Saladino (00:36)

4. Potential Downsides & Dangers

• Risk of Malnutrition: Loss of appetite can lead to protein and caloric deficits, reduced strength, and muscle loss (15:23–15:53, 22:30–22:48).
• Hydration Concerns: Many users experience dehydration and cramping because they're not eating enough, not necessarily due to the drug itself (15:29–16:01).
  • Quote: "Lack of eating… you can be drinking all the water you want, but if you're not getting enough carbohydrates, enough salts and magnesium... you're just peeing it right out."
    — Dr. Jackson (16:01)
• Muscle & Bone Loss: Particularly concerning if patients don’t maintain protein intake and resistance training (14:47–15:23, 22:30–22:48, 37:22–38:08).
• Nausea and GI Issues: Some patients experience severe nausea, vomiting, especially at higher doses (40:59–41:28).
• Long-term Unknowns: Not enough data yet to know the decades-long effects, especially for young people—"only time will tell" (44:47–44:49).

5. Lifestyle Change and Psychological Aspects

• Importance of Therapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is encouraged to address food cues and habits while on GLP-1s, so new patterns persist after discontinuation (16:01–17:14).
• Quote: “For the first time people realize… this is what normal people feel like. They don't constantly have that thing in their head saying, ‘What am I going to eat in the next five minutes?’”
  — Dr. Jackson (16:01)

6. Discussion of Other Peptides

• BPC-157, TB-500: Used for healing and injury, but human clinical data is thin; anecdotal results are mixed and supply is highly variable (25:06–39:29).
• Sourcing and Safety: Sourcing is a huge concern—many peptides are unregulated, may not be pure or what they claim (25:14–28:12, 39:29–39:40).
  • Quote: “The biggest problem is the market's flooded with peptides... How do you know you're getting what you think that you're getting?”
    — Dr. Jackson (27:07)
• Potential Dangers: Some peptides have shown increases in cancer risk in animal studies—serious caution needed (29:17–30:32).

7. Medical Supervision is Key

• Protocol: GLP-1s should be prescribed and monitored by a physician, not used based on social media trends (16:01–16:06, 30:46–30:49).
• Dosing: Should be based on medical guidelines, but some “biohackers” microdose without enough safety data (21:05–22:48).
  • Quote: “They are, should be used in context, in, in, you know, in an actual prescribed context under supervision... highly important to undergo some sort of therapy.”
    — Dr. Jackson (16:01)

8. Lifestyle, Not a Crutch: Making Changes Stick

• Quick-fix Mentality Critiqued: These drugs can be powerful, but if users don’t build true lifestyle change, weight will return post-treatment (14:47–46:49).
• For Severe Cases: For those with lifethreatening obesity, drugs can be life-saving (“a miracle drug”) (34:26–34:41).
• For the Everyday Person: Using GLP-1s just to lose a few pounds or to bypass discipline is discouraged (34:41–34:54).
  • Quote: “I don't agree with... someone who's... really not so far out of weight... and [they’re] just getting on that. Then they're not exercising, they're not resistance training, and they're not consuming a micronutrient diet.”
    — Don Saladino (34:26)

9. Supplements for Longevity (Listener Q&A)

• Glycine & NAC: Combined, these supplements help mitochondrial health, oxidative stress, and are supported for longevity (49:02–50:58).
  • Quote: “There’s a really neat synergy between glycine and NAC to promote mitochondrial health and decreases in oxidative stress.”
    — Dr. Jackson (49:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Food Noise:
  “It’s amazing how much food noise you have and you don’t even realize you have.”
  — Dr. Jackson (06:31)
• On Sourcing Dangers:
  “People are truly doing experiments on themselves, on a couple different levels...trusting what’s in it...guessing whether it’s going to work or not.”
  — Dr. Jackson (27:14)
• On Peptides for Healing:
  “I’ve had certain people turn to me and they’re like...‘helped him,’...other buddies...‘hasn’t done anything.’”
  — Don Saladino (38:35)
• On Health System Impact:
  “If these work out to be the miracle for our North American obese population...we will notice it in healthcare costs.”
  — Dr. Jackson (44:53)

Important Timestamps

• [02:43] – Dr. Jackson’s background in peptide research
• [03:10–04:33] – What are peptides? Basic science
• [04:46–06:31] – GLP-1s, how they work, Dr. Jackson’s personal experiment
• [09:12–09:55] – Medical necessity and correct patients for GLP-1s
• [13:49–16:01] – The critical need for lifestyle and psychological support
• [15:23–16:01] – Dangers: malnutrition and dehydration
• [21:05–22:48] – Medical protocols vs. self-experimentation/microdosing
• [25:06–28:12] – Flooded market for peptides and challenges of sourcing
• [29:17–30:32] – Cancer risks and animal studies for peptides
• [34:26–34:41] – When GLP-1s are a “miracle drug”
• [49:02–50:58] – Glycine & NAC for mitochondrial health and aging

Final Takeaways

• GLP-1 peptides are a revolutionary tool for those with serious obesity, but not a shortcut or lifestyle substitute for the generally healthy.
• All peptide and longevity supplementation should be medically supervised, sourced from reputable suppliers, and paired with real behavior change.
• The landscape is still evolving—research is ongoing, particularly for long-term safety.
• Lifestyle change, therapy, and real nutrition remain critical, even when leveraging the power of new drugs.
• Be skeptical of social media and unverified sources. Trust credentialed experts.
• Dr. Dwayne Jackson’s verdict: “We don’t truly know the risk of everything out there yet... If you’re experimenting on yourself, just know that, like, we really don’t. There’s no real safety data on these compounds.” (52:08)

Useful for new listeners:
This episode provides a blend of technical expertise and practical, real-world context for anyone considering or curious about the current weight loss drug and peptide landscape. The discussion avoids hype, highlights real risks, and delivers critical expert warnings about the “Wild West” of peptides—while showcasing hope for those facing severe obesity and metabolic challenge.