A new study from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, released on Apr. 17, finds that patients taking popular weight loss medications experience a significant amount of muscle loss compared to total weight lost.
The research is important because it highlights a potential health risk for people using incretin-based medications, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, which are widely prescribed for Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Muscle loss during weight reduction can affect mobility and increase the risk of falls, especially in older adults.
John A. Batsis, MD, an expert on obesity and nutrition at UNC School of Medicine and the UNC Gillings School of Public Health, led the study published in Annals of Internal Medicine. “While muscle loss is expected during weight loss, we observed that the proportion of weight loss attributable to muscle was consistently higher than anticipated across studies,” said Batsis. “These findings suggest that the magnitude of muscle loss relative to total weight loss warrants closer attention.”
Batsis and his team recommend that clinicians carefully monitor patients’ muscle health when advising intentional weight reduction with these drugs. The researchers also emphasize a need for more clinical trials focused on older adults who take semaglutide or tirzepatide.
“Few current studies include participants older than 60 years, and none focused on adults aged 65 years or older,” said Batsis. “Significant muscle loss can lead to a higher fall risk, so additional trials specifically designed to evaluate aging-related outcomes that include mobility and quality of life are urgently needed.”
The findings were presented by Batsis at the breaking news scientific plenary session “New in Annals of Internal Medicine: Hear it First from the Authors” during the American College of Physicians’ Internal Medicine Meeting in San Francisco.
