GlP-1 Drugs: You Loose More Then Just Fat.
Several recent studies and reviews have examined the impact of GLP-1 receptor agonists on muscle mass during weight loss. For example, a systematic review published in JAMA found that lean mass loss accounts for 25% to 39% of the total weight lost with GLP-1 medications. This percentage is comparable to the proportion of lean mass lost through lifestyle interventions alone. Integrating resistance training, adequate protein intake, and body composition monitoring can significantly help preserve muscle mass during weight reduction (Mehrtash et al., 2025) It is important to focus on a few key strategies to help your clients maintain muscle while using these medications. These include ensuring adequate protein intake—typically 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of ideal body weight per day—and incorporating regular resistance training into their regimens. Additionally, monitoring body composition is important to ensure that muscle mass is preserved as much as possible during weight loss. The ...