Alex Mercer · October 15, 2026
Winter triggers digestive slowdown through hydration, activity, and light changes. Learn why your gut shifts seasonally and practical steps to stay regular.
Alex Mercer · August 6, 2026
With so many of the people I hear from turning to compounded semaglutide because of cost or availability, I get asked constantly whether it behaves differently in the gut than brand-name Ozempic or Wegovy. The active mechanism is the same GLP-1 receptor agonism, but compounded formulations are not FDA-approved in the same way, and dosing … Read more
Alex Mercer · July 27, 2026
It’s day five without a bowel movement, and the bloating has spread across your abdomen like a weight you can’t shake. Your pants don’t fit the way they did this morning, and you’re acutely aware of every sensation in your gut — the heaviness, the lack of movement, the sense that something should be happening … Read more
Alex Mercer · July 27, 2026
Most people believe GLP-1 side effects like nausea and constipation mean the medication isn’t right for them—but the truth is the opposite. These digestive symptoms are a sign the drug is doing exactly what it’s designed to do: slowing stomach emptying to regulate appetite and blood sugar. The real work isn’t stopping the medication; it’s … Read more
Alex Mercer · July 24, 2026
Roughly 20 to 30 percent slower — that’s how much gastric emptying can decelerate in patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists, according to clinical trial data. For most people, that manifests as manageable fullness and early satiety. But in a subset of cases, that pharmacological slowdown crosses into territory that resembles true gastroparesis, complete with persistent … Read more
Alex Mercer · July 24, 2026
Someone sat across from me last month describing an unexpected pattern: loose stools that seemed to intensify right after her weekly semaglutide injection, then settle down midweek, only to flare again as the next dose approached. She’d read plenty about nausea with GLP-1 drugs — that topic dominates online forums — but felt oddly isolated … Read more
Alex Mercer · July 15, 2026
When I first started comparing notes with other people taking GLP-1 medications, I made an assumption I shouldn’t have: I thought the digestive challenges they reported would be roughly the same across Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. Turns out, the nuances matter far more than I’d initially credited. All three medications do decelerate gastric emptying, which … Read more
Alex Mercer · July 15, 2026
Your gastroenterologist tells you tirzepatide is “basically the same” as semaglutide when it comes to stomach trouble. Meanwhile, a wellness influencer swears the opposite — that one is categorically gentler. Both claims oversimplify what’s actually happening at the receptor level, and both miss the pattern-based differences that can matter most to how your body adjusts. … Read more
Alex Mercer · July 10, 2026
Most standard medical evaluations and internet articles skip over the practical reality that stops people cold: knowing exactly which dose of l-glutamine for leaky gut will actually help, and sticking with it long enough to see results. People come to me having found everything from 5 grams to 30 grams per day recommended somewhere online, … Read more
Alex Mercer · June 28, 2026
I’ve spent over a decade comparing notes with other people on their digestive wellness and energy patterns, and I’m not a medical doctor or gastroenterologist. What I share here comes from years of personal observation and experience with other people. Before introducing any new food, supplement, or making substantial shifts to your eating pattern—particularly if … Read more