Nutrition, exercise may help preserve muscle mass during GLP-1 receptor agonist use

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — GLP-1 receptor agonists are effective weight-loss medications, but they may also decrease muscle mass, raising concerns about the long-term effects of these drugs, according to Christos S. Katsanos, PhD.

“We don’t know exactly what the causes are and the extent of that muscle loss, but it is a big concern among clinicians treating patients with obesity,” he told Healio.

In this video, Katsanos, an associate professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University and adjunct faculty member at Mayo Clinic Arizona, reviews two strategies that may help preserve muscle mass in patients receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists: nutrition and exercise.

“Protein is an important component to enhance skeletal muscle,” Katsanos said. “Protein decreases during pathophysiological circumstances associated with the loss of skeletal muscle. By manipulating protein synthesis, we can regulate and possibly prevent loss of skeletal muscle. The way we can do that is through nutritional interventions.”

In addition to dietary protein, exercise — specifically, aerobic exercise — can further “stimulate protein synthesis of the skeletal muscle of these patients on GLP-1 medications,” he said.

Reference:

• Katsanos CS. Muscle safety: Addressing GLP-1 agonist concerns with exercise & nutrition. Presented at: Obesity Medicine 2025. April 23-27, 2025; National Harber, Md.

For more information:

Christos S. Katsanos, PhD, can be reached at primarycare@healio.com.