Research
Energy balance
Antiobesity medications (AOMs) such as semaglutide and tirzepatide significantly reduce energy intake and appetite, necessitating a shift in nutritional focus from caloric restriction alone to ensuring nutrient density and adequate protein intake to prevent lean mass loss and deficiencies.
When starting semaglutide or tirzepatide, your appetite will drop significantly. Do not just eat less; eat smarter. Prioritize protein (aim for 60-75g daily or up to 1.5g per kg of body weight) and nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. This protects your muscle and ensures you get necessary vitamins despite eating smaller portions.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
As a result, dietary quality becomes even more important because nutritional needs must be met within the context of reduced food intake... In the setting of a hypocaloric diet with adequate protein intake, physical activity... can increase muscle strength and physical function and may promote greater loss of fat mass, although the impact of exercise on the loss of lean mass during weight reduction is unclear.
Why this rating
Based on large RCTs (STEP-1, SURMOUNT-1) and narrative review of guidelines.
Source
Nutritional considerations with antiobesity medications
Jaime P. Almandoz et al. · Obesity · 2024
DOI 10.1002/oby.24067
narrative_reviewCited 104×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Adequate dietary protein intake (60-75 g/day or up to 1.5 g/kg body weight/day) is critical during AOM therapy to preserve lean body mass and prevent complications like weakness and edema, especially in older adults.Good
- AOM therapy requires monitoring and potential dose reduction of concomitant medications for diabetes and hypertension due to rapid weight loss and improved metabolic parameters.Good
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