Weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy don't only help lose fat, but can also drastically reduce muscle mass, which is a concerning thing, especially for older people.
In this photo illustration, boxes of the diabetes drug Ozempic rest on a pharmacy counter on April 17, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Ozempic was originally approved by the FDA to treat people with Type 2 diabetes- who risk serious health consequences without medication.
For the past years, many health professionals have agreed that Wegovy and Ozempic could greatly help shed unwanted fat. However, a medical advisor warned that these weight-loss drugs could also lead to muscle loss.
If you are among those who commonly use Ozempic, Wegovy, and other similar medicines that can help lose weight, here's what Andrew Y. Sun, M.D. explained.
Weight-Loss Drugs Ozempic, Wegovy Could Also Lead To Muscle Loss
Andrew Y. Sun, M.D., a chief medical advisor for Texas-based Marius Pharmaceuticals and a board-certified urologist, explained why Ozempic and Wegovy could lead to muscle mass loss.
He said that these weight-loss drugs are semaglutide medications, which help lose weight through a combination of mechanisms. These include the release of GLP1, which signals the stomach to feel full, as well as delay gastric emptying.
"Both of these result in a caloric restriction that causes weight loss," said the medical advisor via Fox News.
"In the clinical studies for drugs in the GLP1 class, the data indicated that 40% to 50% of the weight loss comes from lean muscle mass instead of fat," warned Sun.
He further stated that when people lose muscle mass, their metabolic rate (the rate the body burns calories) also decreases. Dr. Sun warned that losing weight could pose greater health risks to certain patients than others.
Muscle-Loss Could Endanger Older People
A Manchester City club logo is seen tattooed on the bicep of a supporter ahead of the UEFA Champions League 1st round Group A football match between Manchester City and RB Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on September 15, 2021.
Sun said that when people lose muscle mass, they are more at risk of falls and fractures. This also happens when there are insufficient amounts of muscle tissue.
According to Fortune Well, older people are more at risk if the weight-loss drugs they consume lead to loss of muscle mass. Medical experts said that 65-year-old and older individuals could further endanger their lives and put their overall health at risk.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that falls are among the leading causes of injury deaths for the mentioned age group.
"While there may be many important benefits of weight loss metabolically, we need, particularly in older adults, to think about muscle and how important it is for the older adult population," explained medicine professor John Batsis.
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