{"id":13694,"date":"2025-03-19T23:51:21","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T16:51:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=13694"},"modified":"2025-03-19T23:51:21","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T16:51:21","slug":"the-right-way-to-use-glp-1-drugs-to-lose-fat-and-keep-muscle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=13694","title":{"rendered":"The Right Way to Use GLP-1 Drugs to Lose Fat and Keep Muscle"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fshdsociety.org\/2024\/08\/12\/muscle-loss-with-ozempic-and-similar-drugs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Recent studies have raised alarms about GLP-1 drugs<\/a>, like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, highlighting that a significant portion of the weight lost may come from lean muscle mass. In fact, some studies report that reductions in lean mass range between 40% and 60% as a proportion of total weight lost.<\/p>\n<p>However, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.a4m.com\/darshan-shah.html#:~:text=Darshan%20Shah%2C%20MD%2C%20is%20a,Health%20Optimization%20and%20Longevity%20clinic.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dr. Darshan Shah, board-certified surgeon, health and wellness specialist<\/a>, makes it clear: It\u2019s not the drug, it\u2019s what people do (or don\u2019t do) while taking it that makes the difference. This muscle loss isn\u2019t an inevitable side effect of the medication itself. Instead, it\u2019s often due to patients in many of the published studies not being properly educated on maintaining muscle during their weight loss journey. \u201cPeople in these studies are given GLP-1s without any guidance on protein intake, strength training, or metabolic health. Of course they\u2019re losing muscle,\u201d says Dr. Shah.<\/p>\n<p>Muscle loss doesn\u2019t have to be a given. If you use GLP-1s strategically, you can lose fat while keeping\u2014and even gaining\u2014muscle. For women, the stakes are even higher.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Jessica Shepherd, a board-certified OB\/GYN, points out that aging already predisposes women to muscle loss and declining bone density, making it even more crucial to preserve lean mass during weight loss.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWomen should be aware of this potential effect and stay on top of it with their healthcare providers; regularly monitoring muscle mass can ensure that weight loss doesn\u2019t compromise overall health, particularly as women navigate the physical changes that come with aging,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Shepherd adds that maintaining a healthy diet with adequate protein intake and incorporating strength training exercises can help mitigate muscle loss. \u201cBy integrating targeted strength training, women can protect their bones, maintain mobility, and support long-term health.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__thumbnail\" href=\"https:\/\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/features\/feature-news\/what-is-retatrutide-and-does-it-drop-more-fat-than-ozempic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Doctor-administering-a-weight-loss-drug-Retatrutide-through-a-needle.jpg?w=150&amp;h=84&amp;crop=1&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"auto, 280px\" alt=\"Doctor administering a weight loss drug Retatrutide through a needle\" width=\"150\" height=\"84\" data-fallback-img=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Doctor-administering-a-weight-loss-drug-Retatrutide-through-a-needle.jpg?quality=86&amp;strip=all\"\/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Why Do GLP-1 Drugs Cause Muscle Loss?<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. Shah explains that people are losing muscle on GLP-1s for one primary reason: \u201cThey aren\u2019t eating enough protein and calories.\u201d The extreme appetite suppression causes many to unknowingly consume too few nutrients to sustain muscle tissue.<\/p>\n<p>On top of that, there\u2019s another factor at play: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/features\/feature-news\/study-shows-intense-exercise-more-beneficial-than-ozempic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Many people on GLP-1s become less active<\/a>. While not yet widely studied, Dr. Shah sees this trend in patients. \u201cI believe people on these drugs often feel lower energy and, as a result, they move less, work out less, and ultimately lose more muscle mass than they need to.\u201d Plus, he adds, without the stress from muscles on bones, bones will have more breakdown versus building. \u201cSo you\u2019ll absolutely lose bone mass as well,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Arnold Avendano is a metabolic health expert and a former ER doctor with 20 years of experience. Avendano, who now focuses on functional medicine, says that mineral deficiency is yet another rising issue. Lower food intake means lower mineral intake, decreased gut biodiversity, and lower absorption rate. \u201cThe mineral status of patients on GLP-1s may swing out of balance, which in turn can have a negative impact on lean mass and bone mineral density,\u201d he says. \u201cWithout key minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium, muscle function and bone health take a hit.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-caption \">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:55.36519386835%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Overweight-male-using-GLP-1-drugs-to-lose-weight.jpg?quality=86&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" alt=\"Overweight male using GLP-1 drugs to lose weight\" width=\"1109\" height=\"614\" data-fallback-img=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Overweight-male-using-GLP-1-drugs-to-lose-weight.jpg?quality=86&amp;strip=all\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"credit\">myskin\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>How To Lose Fat, Not Muscle, on GLP-1 Drugs<\/h2>\n<p>Doctors like Dr. Shah, and Dr. Avendano, who work in the functional medicine space, have a battle-tested protocol for patients using GLP-1 drugs without sacrificing muscle. Here\u2019s what you need to do:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Prioritize protein<\/li>\n<li>Strength train<\/li>\n<li>Supplement wisely<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>They recommend five key supplements that may help maintain muscle and metabolic health while on GLP-1s:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Creatine:<\/strong> Supports muscle retention and recovery.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Vitamin D + K2:<\/strong> Crucial for bone and muscle health.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Omega-3s:<\/strong> Helps with inflammation and recovery.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Magnesium:<\/strong> Supports muscle function and insulin sensitivity.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A high-quality multivitamin:<\/strong> To cover any micronutrient gaps.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>Improve your gut health<\/h3>\n<p>Your gut microbiome plays a major role in your metabolic function. To help the body become more efficient in increasing its levels of endogenous GLP-1, Dr. Shah recommends taking a probiotic strain called Akkermansia muciniphila. It\u2019s been shown to support healthy glucose metabolism, gut barrier function, and GLP-1 secretion. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of research behind it,\u201d he says, adding, \u201cI\u2019m a big believer in Akkremansia as just a maintenance supplement. So, I keep my patients on it.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Cycle your GLP-1 use and track progress<\/h3>\n<p>Neither Avendano nor Shah believes GLP-1 drugs should be a long-term crutch. Avendano says that with long-term use, patients can plateau when using these medications. \u201cThat\u2019s why I recommend cycling on and off to promote healthy adaptations without becoming dependent on the drug,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Shah adds that \u201cwe use them as a jump-start to help people reset their metabolism and relationship with food, but they shouldn\u2019t be a forever solution.\u201d He said his approach also includes tracking several blood biomarkers such as APOB levels, LDL, triglyceride, C-reactive protein (CRP), homocysteine, and serum insulin levels. Plus, he advises many of his patients to use continuous glucose monitors to assess metabolic improvements.<\/p>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__thumbnail\" href=\"https:\/\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/anti-aging\/functional-medicine\/is-weight-loss-with-the-new-injectable-meds-sustained\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/A-scale-with-a-measuring-tape-around-it.jpg?w=150&amp;h=84&amp;crop=1&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"auto, 280px\" alt=\"A scale with a measuring tape around it\" width=\"150\" height=\"84\" data-fallback-img=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/A-scale-with-a-measuring-tape-around-it.jpg?quality=86&amp;strip=all\"\/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>The health industry needs more research to fully understand how these GLP-1 agonists impact long-term health. Dr. Avendano says he\u2019s curious to see what future results will reveal once we have 10+ years worth of data on patient health and metabolic function.<\/p>\n<p>But for now, research shows that these drugs, much like many prescription medications, do offer benefits but not without trade-offs. So if you think you need a little nudge on the weight loss department, instead of using them as a quick fix, be smart about it.<\/p>\n<p>Take them with the intention to help wean off of processed foods and alcohol, improve your relationship with food, and build sustainable habits that support long-term metabolic health. Prioritize protein intake, resistance training, and key nutrients to protect your muscle mass and bone density. Monitor your progress with regular checkups and work with a healthcare provider to ensure you\u2019re losing fat\u2014not strength.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.muscleandfitness.com\/features\/feature-news\/the-right-way-to-use-glp-1-drugs-to-lose-fat-and-keep-muscle\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recent studies have raised alarms about GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, highlighting that a significant portion of the weight lost may come from lean muscle mass. In fact, some studies report that reductions in lean mass range between 40% and 60% as a proportion of total weight lost. However, Dr. Darshan Shah, board-certified &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fitness"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13694"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13694\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}