Unmasking Our Health: GLP-1s & ADHD
Episode 213 with Katy Weber & Kalin Johnson In this first episode of our new series “Unmasking Our Health,” host Katy Weber teams up with cohost Kalin Johnson, PharmD, to explore a side of ADHD in women that isn’t talked about enough: What it’s like to live in a neurodivergent body. After years of interviewing late‑diagnosed women and seeing the same patterns — chronic pain, fatigue, autoimmune issues, hormonal chaos, gut problems, “mystery” symptoms — Katy created the Unmasking Our Health series to explore the bigger questions behind neurodivergence: What if ADHD isn’t just about our brains, but about our whole bodies — and how and why is the medical system missing the full picture? Our first topic for discussion: the explosion of GLP-1 medications (think Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro) and what their surprising, wide-reaching effects are revealing about the deeply intertwined relationship between metabolic health, inflammation, hormones, and ADHD. In this episode, we cover: What is metabolic psychiatry? And why it's expanding how we understand ADHD beyond just dopamine and norepinephrine GLP-1 medications and ADHD — what patients are actually reporting (quieter brain, less emotional reactivity, reduced compulsive behaviors, improved executive functioning) The inflammation connection — how chronic neuroinflammation creates "cognitive drag" and why reducing it may give the ADHD brain more bandwidth The vagus nerve and GLP-1 receptors — a fascinating look at how the gut communicates with the brain (and why 80% of vagal fibers run from the body to the brain, not the other way around!) Estrogen, perimenopause, and metabolic decline — why women over 50 are going on GLP-1s faster than any other population Drug interactions (and physiologic interactions) — what to watch for if you're on stimulants, SSRIs, or HRT while starting a GLP-1 Food noise, reward-seeking, and binge eating — what GLP-1s are actually doing in the brain's dopamine reward circuits, and what that means for neurodivergent women with disordered eating histories Where is all of this going? Kalin shares her genuinely optimistic vision for how GLP-1 research is opening the door to a more holistic, systemic understanding of neurodivergent women's health Note: Nothing in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult with your physician and pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication. Kalin’s website: kalinjohnson.com Instagram: @kalinpharmd Links & Resources: Listen to Kalin's first episode: Episode 97 (August 2022) Have a topic you want Katy and Kalin to cover? Contact us - - - - - Episode edited by E Podcast Productions - - - - - Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching - - - - - Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy - - - - - Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse - - - - - Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast! - - - - - If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest. Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast Twitter: @womenandadhd Facebook: @womenandadhd Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
