The blockbuster weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro have in many ways revolutionized the treatment of obesity.
But the sharp weight loss has raised questions about how muscle mass is affected. In a review study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers reviewed previously published research to try to answer the question.
Corollary
Their conclusion is that those who lose weight with medication also lose muscle mass and that they lose slightly more than those who lose weight using other methods.
This is actually nothing new and losing muscle mass can be seen as a natural consequence of losing weight. It also happens with bariatric surgery, says Ylva Trolle Lagerros, professor at Karolinska Institutet and senior physician in obesity in the Stockholm Region.
She describes that patients who lose weight consistently find it easier to move around and often feel they have more energy. Those she meets usually do not bring up reduced muscle strength as a problem.
But the study reinforces the fact that it is important to combine treatment with changing your diet and being physically active.
Risk for the elderly
In the overview, everyone is younger than 65. Ylva Trolle Lagerros sees an increased proportion of older people, even people in their 80s, who are referred for drug treatment for obesity.
They may have struggled with their weight their whole lives and now they finally see an opportunity to get help. It would be interesting to have similar studies on how muscles are affected in the elderly, since it is more difficult to regain lost muscle mass with increasing age, she says.
The researchers behind the review write that the results do not mean that those who need the drugs should not use them, something that Ylva Trolle Lagerros also emphasizes.
These are effective medications for those who are sick of their weight. But it is not a quick fix and needs to be done together with lifestyle changes. Being physically active and changing your diet also increases the chances that the weight loss will be sustained in the long term, she says.
The studies did not evaluate muscle function, something the researchers highlight as a weakness.
