GLP-1 Muscle Mass Program

Now that you’re getting lighter, it’s time to get tighter.

People taking GLP-1 receptor agonists (like semaglutide or liraglutide) are noticing that as they lose weight they are also losing lean muscle mass. GLP-1 drugs typically reduce appetite and decrease caloric intake. However, If you’re not getting enough protein and resistance training, your body will break down muscle for energy and, you may notice, as you slim down, your butt gets flatter and your arms get flabby, among other things.

It will be important to increase your protein intake (usually around 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, depending on your activity level).

Equally important, you need strength training/resistance exercises to build lean muscle mass!

If muscle loss is a concern for you while taking GLP-1 medications, it might be a good idea to talk to a Centurion physical therapist, have an evaluation and make a game plan to address muscle mass and tone through supervised strength and resistance training.

Resource:
Sargeant JA, Henson J, King JA, Yates T, Khunti K, Davies MJ. A Review of the Effects of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors on Lean Body Mass in Humans. Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2019 Sep;34(3):247-262. doi: 10.3803/EnM.2019.34.3.247. PMID: 31565876; PMCID: PMC6769337

By Marcus Forman