- Semaglutide has been celebrated as an powerful medication for bodyweight reduction and appetite reduction.
- But individuals shed muscle mass way too, which can undermine the overall health added benefits, claims Dr. Peter Attia.
- He endorses seeking other excess weight loss techniques initial, and taking in adequate protein to retain muscle mass.
The well known new body weight-reduction medicine semaglutide is encouraging people drop excess weight — but it can also cause a main reduction of muscle mass mass, in accordance to a health practitioner.
Semaglutide has been described as a “video game changer” for managing weight problems and was Food and drug administration-approved for body weight decline in 2021 underneath the model name Wegovy. It really is also obtainable as Ozempic, which is the very same treatment, but sold to treat type 2 diabetes (although medical doctors can and do prescribe it for pounds loss as effectively).
Semaglutide will work by mimicking a purely natural hormone in the physique that can help control blood sugar, digestion, and starvation.
But the Food and drug administration, and accomplishment tales of semaglutide, will not account for patients who are also shedding lean muscle, which could worsen their health lengthy-term, Dr. Peter Attia claimed in a modern clip of his podcast “The Push.”
Attia explained physique composition, or the ratio of muscle to fat, is a far more valuable evaluate of fat reduction success (and subsequent wellness improvements) than purely the range of kilos shed.
Attia also mentioned a craze of folks without having sort 2 diabetic issues or a superior physique fats share who want to use the medicine for little quantities of aesthetic fat loss.
“Possibly far more disturbing to me is the people today who are achieving out to me who are frankly not over weight remotely but are declaring ‘I actually want to lose 10 kilos to appear fantastic on my family vacation, I really should be getting this, appropriate?'” he mentioned.
Attia said in an before post that his sufferers who have employed semaglutide missing weight proficiently, but not all of it was overall body excess fat.
“They’ve dropped muscle mass at a charge that alarms me,” he mentioned.
Whilst some muscle mass mass is envisioned through bodyweight loss, shedding much too a great deal can backfire. Muscle mass is vital for a healthful rate of metabolism and stopping personal injury, notably as we age.
To offset the achievable aspect influence, Attia reported he suggests semaglutide to sufferers who have currently tried other fat reduction techniques without the need of medication, and emphasizes that they have to have to try to eat adequate protein and work out to maintain muscle.
There is certainly some promising evidence that a related treatment called tirzepatide may perhaps be a lot more effective, Attia said — that drug is nonetheless awaiting Food and drug administration approval for body weight reduction.
In the meantime, Attia mentioned it truly is well worth holding in brain the significance of muscle mass mass for well being, somewhat than just the amount on the scale.
“Ultimately, it can be not your fat that issues, it’s your overall body composition and your health,” Attia reported.
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