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adrian_btoday at 12:27 AM1 replyview on HN

See the actual research article:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452302X2...

This study on mice was suggested by a previous publication:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8...

where it had been noticed that in humans "the muscle loss with these medications (as indicated by decreases in fat-free mass [FFM]) ranges from 25% to 39% of the total weight lost over 36–72 weeks", in comparison with muscle loss of only 10% to 30% when the weight is lost just by eating less, without semaglutide.

So with semaglutide, a larger fraction of the weight loss affects muscles than when the same weight is lost by traditional means.

While for other muscles the loss of mass may not be so important, the fact that at least in mice the loss also affects the heart is worrisome and it certainly warrants further studies.


Replies

petesergeanttoday at 12:35 AM

> Studies suggest muscle loss with these medications (as indicated by decreases in fat-free mass [FFM]) ranges from 25% to 39% of the total weight lost over 36–72 weeks. This substantial muscle loss can be largely attributed to the magnitude of weight loss, rather than by an independent effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists, although this hypothesis must be tested. By comparison, non-pharmacological caloric restriction studies with smaller magnitudes of weight loss result in 10–30% FFM losses

Emphasis my own. In short: no evidence this is anything other than due to rapid weight-loss.