GeraltRedhammer said:
I have doubts whether basing dosage on statistics is better than conscious observation of effects. In the studies you refer to, people reacted very differently to retatrutide. Some lost 10% of their weight, others 40%, and still others gave up because of side effects.
It is better to observe yourself and increase the dosage when it stops working than to increase it automatically. Statistically, my dog and I each have three legs. If we bought shoes based on statistics, I would buy three instead of two, and my dog would buy three instead of four...
You're right. Paying attention to your body is key. People respond differently, and noticing that matters.
But, personal accounts of others are not the best starting place for self experimentation. We simply don't know how they carried out their research or what other variables are at play. The RCTs give us tightly controlled evidence to analyze and process. Focusing on extremes, like the few who lost only 10% or had to stop, is what is called the Anecdotal Fallacy. Our brains naturally latch onto vivid stories, but they don’t outweigh the data. Here's why I think the trial titration and protocol are still the best starting point if an individual fits the target criteria and wants similar outcomes to the study:
The subject uniformity and variables were tightly controlled (same age, BMI, and dosing schedule). This means the statistics carry weight. The averages reflect what you can expect if you match those criteria. Your 'dog with three legs' analogy is clever, if you're suggesting the original poster is a different species... it made me chuckle, but it doesn't change the facts. It misses the point because it relies on the Availability Bias and Representative Heuristic. Evidence based decision making is the most sound course.
The 12 mg group, for example, lost 24.2% on average. This is a strong statstic; it's very high because a large number of participants lost over 30%! Only about 17% were low responders (losing <15%). Similarly, around 15% stopped due to side effects (but, to your point, had they been held at a more personalized effective dose, perhaps their outcomes would have been just as positive). That last number is exactly why the protocol uses slow titration, so you can avoid being one of the drop outs. Because we are not held to a trial protocol we have the benefit of holding our dose where it is the right balance between effect and side effect for each of us personally. (We agree on this point, I didn't mean otherwise)
Titration is your personal tool to handle your unique response. But the starting dose and protocol of the study give you evidence based guideposts for the safest, most efficient path to success. Many people on these forums complain that after months at tiny doses with slow increases they don't have the outcomes they expected and wonder what they're doing wrong. We agree completely that nobody should blindly titrate up if they're already suffering intolerable side effects. My core message is simply this: If you fit the study's criteria and want the study's results, you must follow the study's protocol. If a person is outside the study criteria (like someone with a healthy BMI of 24 only looking to lose 5-10 stuborn pounds... or a dog...), then yes, it's unreasonable to want the same results, and the study starting dose and titration doesn't apply.