Recently, the New York Times featured an article entitled, “The Race is On to Stop Ozempic Muscle Loss,” (Feb 8, 2024). They talked about how gym chains, nutrition start-ups, and drug makers all want to help prevent muscle loss with new semaglutide-based weight loss medications.
What do you need to know?
- There is a real issue with these weight loss medications causing muscle loss. There is a focus to try and figure out how to help patients lose more fat and preserve muscle.
- BE AWARE. At Biohackr Health, we perform an InBody scan as part of our Biohackr Benchmark program on all of our patients at the beginning, as well monthly, to follow the muscle/fat/water composition of your body. This is critical during your journey, and part of why we think semaglutide medications should be done under the care of a clinic who is following your health.
- Strength train. You need to actively build muscle mass. This is a good idea, even if you aren’t on weight loss medications, particularly for post-menopausal women.
- Eat protein. Again, a good idea for everyone, as protein makes you feel full longer and doesn’t cause the blood sugar fluctuations seen in simple carbohydrates. Track your protein intake. Many think you should aim for 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight a day.
- Science may be coming to help. There are many trials from the makers of Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound to combine semaglutide weight loss medications with other medications which help regulate muscle growth. These studies will take years before any of these medications would be on the market.
- You are at a higher risk for muscle wasting if 1) you are older, particularly if you are already frail; 2) you are a post-menopausal woman, as they are already at risk for this and osteoporosis.
- Look into other options. This may be a place where Biohackr Health has other promising options where traditional medicine is slower to adapt. Look at hormone replacement with testosterone and bioidentical hormones, sermorelin, and NAD therapy as possible adjuncts.
How Can Biohackr Health Help?
We know semaglutide. We have treated hundreds of patients, and can help you avoid side effects and pitfalls. Be smart about your weight loss.
We monitor muscle mass and have known how important it is from the beginning. This NYT article is not news to us. Do the InBody scan to document your current muscle mass and fat during any kind of training or weight loss regimen. It will help you see how effective you’re being.
Review new science and biohacking:
- NAD supplementation and level testing. NAD has been shown in experimental studies to help preserve and build muscle mass. We offer NAD testing to find your current level, as well as IV and oral supplements to build your NAD levels. This is good for every cell in your body.
- Testosterone and hormone replacement are well-proven to help with muscle mass.
- Sermorelin, which is a peptide analog of a growth hormone releasing GHRH, which is thought to increase human growth hormone levels to improve muscle mass, decrease body fat, and help energy levels.
- IV therapies, which are focused on amino acids to boost biosynthesis of proteins with Vitamin B and other key vitamins. These play an important role in energy metabolism. See our Fit & Toned IV, Myer’s Cocktail IV, and Fitness Tri-Amino Acid Boost.
