Research
Mixed
Obesity medications (OMs) such as semaglutide and tirzepatide cause significant weight loss but also result in lean mass loss, necessitating targeted nutritional and exercise interventions to preserve skeletal muscle.
OMs like semaglutide and tirzepatide are highly effective for weight loss but can cause muscle loss. To counter this, eat enough protein (0.8-1.5 g/kg/day depending on your age/health) and do resistance exercises. This helps protect your muscle while you lose fat.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
The weight reduction achieved with OMs is not thought to cause physical frailty or progressive muscle mass loss (sarcopenia)... Some lean mass can be lost during weight reduction, which can in turn result in decreased bone mineral density, insulin sensitivity, and aerobic capacity
Why this rating
Based on multiple phase 3 trials (STEP, SURMOUNT) and meta-analyses cited in the paper.
Source
Evolution of multidisciplinary obesity treatments: past, present, and future role of nutrition
Steven B. Heymsfield et al. · Obesity · 2025
narrative_reviewCited 2×
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