GLP-1 drugs and bodybuilding: what contest prep coaches get wrong

What did @kodi_dyel actually say?

An IFBB-affiliated bodybuilding coach ranked fat burners into "enhanced" and "natural" categories, naming retatrutide as superior to semaglutide and tirzepatide because it offers "fat burning effects" alongside hunger suppression. He also recommended clenbuterol, tesofensine, T3/T4 thyroid medications, and peptides like AOD-9604 and GW-501516. He wrapped up with natural options including L-carnitine, CLA, and yohimbine, pushing an affiliate code throughout.

This is a bodybuilding coach selling affiliate products while casually discussing prescription medications, unapproved research compounds, and controlled substances in the same breath. That context matters.

Does the science back this up?

Parts of it do, parts of it are oversimplified, and some of it involves compounds that have no business being recommended to general audiences. The GLP-1 framing is the most defensible section. The rest gets shakier fast.

On GLP-1s: semaglutide and tirzepatide are FDA-approved and well-studied. Retatrutide is a triple agonist (GLP-1, GIP, glucagon receptors) and early phase 2 data published by Jastreboff et al. (2023, NEJM) showed roughly 24% body weight reduction over 48 weeks, which is genuinely impressive. The claim that retatrutide has direct "fat burning effects" beyond appetite suppression is an oversimplification. The glucagon component does increase energy expenditure, but calling it a separate fat-burning mechanism versus the others is a marketing-friendly framing, not a clean scientific distinction.

Clenbuterol: it is a beta-2 agonist used in veterinary medicine, not approved for human use in the U.S. Tremors, cardiac arrhythmias, and electrolyte disturbances are well-documented risks (Spiller et al., 2013, Clinical Toxicology). Describing it as feeling "like an energy drink" dramatically undersells the risk profile.

Tesofensine: a triple monoamine reuptake inhibitor. Phase 2 trials (Astrup et al., 2008, The Lancet) showed meaningful weight loss, but its development stalled partly due to cardiovascular concerns. The "come down" he describes is real and maps onto noradrenergic withdrawal. Calling it a mood crash after stopping "cold turkey" is accurate but framed too casually for something with genuine psychiatric implications.

T3/T4: thyroid hormones are prescription medications. The warning about muscle catabolism is accurate and supported by physiology. But mentioning these alongside affiliate codes normalizes misuse.

What did they get wrong (or right)?

He got the retatrutide mechanism directionally right, even if the explanation was loose. He also correctly flagged that T3 abuse causes muscle loss, not just fat loss, which is a real and underappreciated risk in bodybuilding communities.

What he got wrong: the framing that GW-501516 (Cardarine) "works relatively well" is a serious problem. GW-501516 is a PPARdelta agonist that was abandoned in preclinical development because it caused rapid cancer growth in animal studies (Peraza et al., 2006, Toxicological Sciences). It has never been approved for human use. Recommending it casually as a fat burner in a TikTok video is irresponsible, full stop.

AOD-9604 is an unapproved peptide fragment. It failed its clinical trials for obesity and was never approved by the FDA. Lumping it in with "works relatively well" is not supported by evidence.

Yohimbine: the one natural compound he actually undersold. Alpha-2 antagonism does have some evidence behind it, particularly in stubborn fat areas (Ostojic, 2006, Research in Sports Medicine). His description is reasonable.

What should you actually know?

If you're considering any of the compounds mentioned in this video, the risk ladder is steep and the regulatory picture is clear. Semaglutide and tirzepatide are FDA-approved for weight management under specific indications. Retatrutide is still in trials and not available through legitimate prescribers for general weight loss. Clenbuterol is not approved for human use in the U.S. Tesofensine never made it to market. GW-501516 was shelved because it caused cancer in animals.

The affiliate code structure here means the creator has a direct financial interest in you purchasing these compounds. That does not make everything he says wrong, but it is a conflict of interest that should inform how you weigh his recommendations.

For GLP-1 medications specifically, access through a regulated telehealth platform means a licensed prescriber reviews your health history and determines whether you are an appropriate candidate. That step exists for a reason. None of the compounds in this video should be sourced from peptide vendors without a prescription and clinical oversight.

• Retatrutide's phase 2 results are real, but it is not available as a legal prescription drug yet.
• GW-501516 (Cardarine) has preclinical carcinogenicity data. Do not use it.
• Clenbuterol is associated with serious cardiac events in humans, not just shaky hands.
• T3 suppresses endogenous thyroid function. Recovery is not guaranteed after long-term misuse.