GLP-1 RAs & Muscle Loss

…and other items from this week’s health news:

Goodbye, fat… Goodbye, muscle?

GLP-1 drugs are famously great for weight loss, but (also famously) muscle weighs more than fat. So, are we sure about what kind of weight we’re losing?

New research has shown that 25–40% of the weight lost on GLP-1 drugs comes from fat-free mass (mostly muscle), compared to only 8% per decade lost naturally with age.

As we wrote about in an older article of ours:

❝Of the four studies that actually looked at the macros (unlike most studies), they found that on average, protein intake decreased by 17.1%. Which is a big deal!

It’s an especially big deal, because while protein’s obviously important for everyone, it’s especially important for anyone trying to lose weight, because muscle mass is a major factor in metabolic base rate—which in turn is much important for fat loss/maintenance than exercise, when it comes to how many calories we burn by simply existing.

A reasonable hypothesis, therefore, is that one of the numerous reasons people who quit GLP-1 agonists immediately put fat back on, is because they probably lost muscle mass in amongst their weight loss, meaning that their metabolic base rate will have decreased, meaning that they end up more disposed to put on fat than before.❞

Back to this week’s news, the researchers concluded that doctors should screen for malnutrition and low muscle mass before starting GLP-1 drugs, encourage protein intake and exercise during treatment, and consider complementary strategies (e.g. nutrition supplements or other medications) to preserve muscle and improve cardiorespiratory fitness.

So, GLP-1 RAs certainly have their place, but diet and exercise must be very carefully managed, to ensure that one still gets proper nutrition while eating less, and exercises adequately despite consuming fewer calories to fuel that exercise.

Read in full: Fat melts away—but so does muscle: What Ozempic users need to know ← the news article

Related: Semaglutide’s Surprisingly Big Research Gap ← our older article that we quoted above

Beef plus

While you’re getting in that protein we talked about, you might not want to get it from ground beef. Not only is red meat woeful for the health in many ways (especially for things such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer), but also, there’s a recall going on presently across the states from California to Michigan, on account of metal pieces being found in packs of ground beef.

This only came to light after a consumer complained (you will remember, FDA food safety testing was suspended earlier this year), and since then, more have been found.

What kind of metal, you ask? It is a mystery; they do not mention.

Read in full: Ground beef shipped to 5 states recalled for possible metal pieces

Related: The Whys and Hows of Cutting Meats Out Of Your Diet

Summer heat? Not a fan.

While it’s common to use a fan to cool down in hot weather, researchers (Dr. Georgia Chaseling et al.) looked at the effects of fan use in extreme heat, specifically for older adults (mean average age 68 years, standard deviation 7 years), and found:

• fan use in humid heat slightly lowered core temperature, increased sweat rate, and improved both thermal sensation and comfort.
• fan use in dry heat raised core temperature, greatly increased sweat rate, and worsened both thermal sensation and comfort.

The researchers concluded that electric fans can be a safe, low-cost cooling method for older adults during hot, humid weather but should be avoided in hot, dry conditions.

Read in full: Using a fan can make older adults hotter in a dry heat

Related: As The Summer Gets Hotter Still…

Take care!