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Girls and older adults taking the anti-obesity drug semaglutide could also be at greater danger for muscle loss, however greater protein consumption could assist stop muscle loss in these sufferers, in keeping with a small examine being introduced Saturday at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society’s annual assembly in San Francisco, Calif.
Dropping muscle (or lean mass) is a standard aspect impact of weight reduction in adults with weight problems and should negatively have an effect on metabolism and bone well being. It is because muscle helps management blood sugar after meals and performs an essential function in protecting bones robust, in keeping with examine lead researcher Melanie Haines, M.D., of Massachusetts Basic Hospital and Harvard Medical Faculty in Boston, Mass.
Roughly 40% of the load misplaced from taking semaglutide—a kind of weight-loss treatment often called a GLP-1—comes from lean mass, together with muscle. It’s not but identified who’s at highest danger for muscle loss or the way it impacts blood sugar ranges, Haines mentioned.
The researchers studied 40 adults with weight problems for 3 months. Of those sufferers, 23 have been prescribed semaglutide, whereas 17 adopted a food plan and way of life program for weight reduction referred to as Wholesome Habits for Life (HHL). The researchers evaluated how their muscle mass modified.
Examine contributors who have been prescribed semaglutide misplaced extra weight than those that participated within the food plan and way of life program, however the % of weight reduction that was lean mass was comparable between the 2 teams.
After accounting for weight reduction, the researchers discovered that within the semaglutide group, being older, feminine or consuming much less protein was linked to larger muscle loss. Additionally on this group, shedding extra muscle was linked to much less enchancment in blood sugar (HbA1c ranges).
“Older adults and women may be more likely to lose muscle on semaglutide, but eating more protein may help protect against this,” Haines mentioned. “Losing too much muscle may reduce the benefits of semaglutide on blood sugar control. This means preserving muscle during weight loss with semaglutide may be important to reduce insulin resistance and prevent frailty in people with obesity.”
Haines mentioned that extra research are wanted to seek out one of the best ways to lose fats however maintain muscle when utilizing GLP-1 medicines.
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Consuming extra protein could defend sufferers taking anti-obesity drug from muscle loss (2025, July 12)
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