Research

Hormonal

Treatment with the dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist tirzepatide results in a proportional loss of skeletal muscle mass relative to total body weight, with muscle loss constituting approximately 34% of total weight loss in treated patients.

If you are taking tirzepatide, expect to lose some muscle along with fat. This case showed that about one-third of the weight lost was muscle. To counter this, you should prioritize strength training and ensure adequate protein intake, as suggested by the authors, rather than just focusing on the scale number.

LimitedSupportsLOW confidence
The patient, however, also experienced a 9.9 lb loss of skeletal muscle mass, which was proportionate to a reduction in body weight - approximately 15% from the initial value for both. Muscle mass loss constituted 34% of the total body weight loss.
Jessica Zinn et al. · AACE Clinical Case Reports · 2024

Why this rating

Based on a single case report (n=1) with serial measurements; lacks statistical power of a randomized controlled trial.

Source

Skeletal Muscle Mass and Body Weight Fall Proportionally With Use of Dual Glucagon-Like Peptide 1/Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Receptor Agonist Tirzepatide: Case Report and Review of Literature

Jessica Zinn et al. · AACE Clinical Case Reports · 2024

DOI 10.1016/j.aace.2024.12.001

case_report · n=1Cited 8×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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