Popular neuroscientist Andrew Huberman recently stirred debate about retatrutide, calling it “the peptide that’s going to change everything” and predicting it will become “a trillion-dollar d**g.”
The Stanford professor recently found himself clarifying his personal stance after his commentary on the treatment went viral. In a post on X, Huberman addressed speculation directly: “Retatrutide is a real challenge to those that liked to bash on other GLP1 agonists etc because it’s used by (soon) everyone. FTR: I’ve not tried GLP1 agonists. If I ever do I will say as I’ve always shared what I take & try & halt taking & amounts since 2021 when we launched HLP.”
Despite not using the medication himself, Huberman has observed what he describes as a predictable pattern in how performance compounds migrate from niche communities to mainstream acceptance.
“All the celebs now getting that retrutatide look,” Huberman wrote. “If you want to know what will be massive on legal RX market 2 years ahead in the fat loss, muscle, vitality space… it always goes from bodybuilding (GH, TRT, GLPs, Retra.) to Hollywood to mainstream. EVERY TIME. Since the 80s.”
In the podcast discussion, Huberman elaborated on this trajectory: “The bodybuilding community has been onto this for a long time. Bodybuilders always get there first. Then what happens is in Florida and the United States, doctors who work out. They go out in gyms with people who know how to gain muscle and lose fat quickly, start experimenting. Then it goes into their high-level clients. Then it shows up in Hollywood. Everyone lies or avoids answering the question of how they got so jacked. They talk about eating chicken breasts, and they’re actually taking growth hormone and Cipionate and Winstraw and Retrutatide.”
Retatrutide represents a significant advancement beyond earlier weight management treatments. While semaglutide targets only GLP-1 receptors and tirzepatide addresses both GLP-1 and GIP, retatrutide adds a third mechanism through glucagon agonism. Some refer to it as GLP-3 due to this triple-action approach.
The results from clinical trials have been remarkable. “In a phase three clinical trial in humans, it caused up to one-third loss of body weight. So a loss of one-third of body weight in about six months’ time. And it seems like there’s some degree of muscle sparing. It works phenomenally well for weight loss,” Huberman explained.
Dr. Aboud Bakri, MD, speaking on the Santa Cruz Medicinals podcast, noted the medication’s standout profile: “Retatrutide is very effective at fat loss. Much more effective than semaglutide or tirzepatide and way less side effects.”
The medication’s benefits extend beyond simple appetite control. Dr. Bakri observed: “People are noticing that they’re even taking it while they’re bulking. Retatrutide because they’re able to partition more nutrients into the muscle instead of into the fat.”
Additionally, Dr. Mike Israetel has become particularly vocal about it’s potential. During an appearance on the Trensparent podcast, Israetel shared his experience: “Tirzepatide is already a god molecule. Like, it’s amazing. I have nothing about it I don’t like. Retatrutide is like magic magic juice.”
Israetel outlined an extensive list of benefits: “It does like 10 other things for your health and longevity. It sensitizes you to muscle growth more. It controls your appetite like a turn dial. It reduces whole body systemic inflammation. It reduces neural inflammation. It pulls out your intra-abdominal fat. Retatrutide specifically zaps liver fat like nothing they’ve ever tested. It’s a health elixir, period.”
Huberman also noted potential applications beyond weight loss: “Reduced al**hol appetite, reduced impulsivity, perhaps. Remember that the receptors for these things are all over the brain and body. And the other GLP agonists have been looked at for alcohol use disorder, for binge eating disorder, and for a lot of behavioral and impulse control disorders. Because a lot of the receptors are rooted in the hypothalamus, which controls a lot of impulsivity-type behaviors and anxiety-related behaviors.”
Currently, retatrutide has not received FDA approval, with expectations pointing toward mid-2026 for official authorization. However, the medication has already entered the market through research chemical companies..”
Huberman highlighted a looming regulatory concern: “We are looking at a potential change in the laws around peptides, such that buying peptides would become illegal. I actually think this is a terrible idea. But the motivation behind this is largely because Lilly owns the patent.”
He continued: “People are already injecting Retratrutide. They can buy it out there. They’re taking it at maybe a third of the dose that’s recommended in the trial. And they are seeing phenomenal results at fat loss. Not a week goes by where I don’t get 100 questions about Retratrutide to my phone, my personal phone, let alone email.”
The Stanford professor explained the economic stakes: “The reason why peptides might soon become illegal to purchase through even compounding pharmacies, let alone gray market, is because Lilly would like to protect the domain over that patent. This is going to be a trillion-dollar d**g.”
Despite the promising results, medical professionals have expressed concerns about inappropriate use. Huberman emphasized the importance of age-appropriate application: “My stance on things is… Do as you wish, but know what you’re doing. But with the important caveat that if you are an adult and your body is fully formed, you are in a completely different landscape than if you’re 14, 18, 20.”
