Zhenqi Liu, MD
Zhenqi Liu, MD, professor of medicine and clinical endocrinologist, spoke with The New York Times about muscle loss associated with GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.
For some patients, medication-related weight loss may undermine fitness by causing muscle loss. Several clinical trials report that 35 to 45 percent of GLP-1–associated weight loss consists of lean mass rather than fat.
“During the aging process, we begin to lose muscle,” typically half a percent to 1 percent of muscle weight per year, said Dr. Liu, who studies the effects of weight loss drugs. “For people on these medications, the process is much more accelerated.” Because muscle loss increases the risk of frailty, falls, and fractures, doctors recommend that GLP-1 users exercise—including strength training—and consume adequate protein.
Read full article in the New York Times (subscription may be required).
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