In this report, we review the latest research data on blood sugar control and weight loss drugs, and how they affect muscles and the health of pregnant women and diabetics, such as Ozempic (the active ingredient is semaglutide) and Mounjaro (the active ingredient is tirzepatide).
The class of medicines that Ozempic falls under are designed to treat type 2 diabetes. The drug affects the gut hormone GLP-1, which is responsible for the proper processing of carbohydrates from food, partly by stimulating the secretion of insulin by the pancreas. In addition, GLP-1 reduces the feeling of hunger and causes food to move more slowly from the stomach to the intestine, making you feel full for a longer period of time, which leads to weight loss. These effects improve glucose control and weight loss.
We start with an article published in the medical journal The Lancet, which highlighted the critical importance of skeletal muscle mass in the context of drug-induced weight loss, especially with the widespread use of GLP-1 agonists, such as Ozempic and Monjaro.
These drugs, which are known for their effectiveness in treating obesity, have raised concerns about the possibility of significant muscle loss as part of the weight loss process.
Dr. Stephen Hemsfield, Professor of Metabolism and Body Composition, and Dr. M. Christina Gonzalez, associate and visiting professor of metabolism and body composition, both from the Bennington Biomedical Research Center in the US, said in the article that muscle loss could account for 25 to 39 percent of the total weight lost over a period of 36 to 72 weeks.
This rate of muscle deterioration is much higher than typically observed with non-pharmacological calorie restriction or natural aging and can lead to unintended negative health consequences.
Despite the promising metabolic benefits associated with GLP-1 agonists, including improvements in the ratio of adipose to lean tissue, the potential negative effects of muscle loss are gaining attention. Skeletal muscle plays critical roles not only in physical strength and function but also in metabolic health and regulation of the immune system.
Low muscle mass has been linked to decreased immunity, increased risk of infection, poor glucose regulation, and other health risks. The authors suggest that muscle loss due to weight loss may exacerbate conditions such as morbid obesity, which is prevalent among obese individuals and contributes to worse health outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease and higher mortality rates.
While the short-term effects of muscle loss on physical strength and function remain unclear, the article calls for future research to explore how decreased muscle mass can improve muscle composition and quality. The authors stress the need for a multimodal approach to weight loss treatment, combining GLP-1 agonists with exercise and nutritional interventions to preserve muscle mass.
“We have to pay attention to the side effects we see with newer weight loss medications, such as a person eating less while taking the medications and not getting the right amount of nutritional vitamins and minerals,” Dr. Hemsfield said.
“Also, when a person loses weight, he not only loses fat, but also loses muscle. We are looking into how to better manage muscle loss by consuming an adequate amount of protein combined with an ideal amount of exercise,” he added.
Pregnant woman…beware of Ozambik after giving birth
A disturbing trend has recently emerged: postpartum women bragging online about losing more than 20 pounds through weight loss injections just weeks after giving birth.
Women use the medicines Ozambik, Monjaro and Wigovi to lose weight after giving birth.
On the other hand, new mothers have been warned against taking weight-loss injections after giving birth in an attempt to get rid of excess weight, according to a report in the British newspaper Daily Mail.
Experts warned that the trend poses a “real risk” to new mothers, and urged women not to use the drug while breastfeeding.
It is feared that the drug will be transmitted to newborns and expose them to complications unknown so far.
Professor Alex Miras, an expert in endocrinology at the University of Ulster, told the Daily Mail, “These medications are not a quick fix for anyone and should only be used in the long term by people who suffer from obesity and its complications. They should never be used for cosmetic reasons only or by mothers.” New babies if they are breastfeeding.
“Theoretically, when breastfeeding, the drug could be passed on to the baby,” he added.
However, he added that experts do not yet know “the possible side effects because we don’t have any data to inform us.”
Charlotte Griffiths, whose body mass index is just 21.7 – the lower end of the ‘normal’ range – has warned of the risks of postpartum use of the drug after accidentally taking an overdose of the WiGov vaccine.
It was only after she developed “brutal” brain fog and migraine symptoms and was “really sick” three times that she realized she had taken 4 times the recommended initial dose.
According to NHS guidelines, the injection should only be offered to people with a BMI of at least 30 and one weight-related health condition, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
Experts have urged women not to feel a rush to “get back in shape” after having a baby, warning that this could put their health at risk.
Kidney disease
We conclude with good news, as an international study has found that the drug Ozambik has a positive effect on chronic kidney disease and obesity.
The study was led by clinical pharmacologist Hedo L. Herspink from University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands.
This is the first time that this diabetes drug, now known as a means of losing weight, has also been shown to be effective for patients with chronic kidney damage.
The results of this study were published in the journal Nature Medicine, and the study was conducted in 4 countries: Canada, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands. Half of the 101 participants received injections of semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic) for 24 weeks, while the other half received a placebo. The study found that the amount of protein in the urine, an outcome measure that indicates the degree of kidney damage, decreased by up to 52%.
Moreover, it was found that the degree of kidney inflammation decreased by 30%, and the drop in blood pressure in the participants was as great as the drop in blood pressure given by blood pressure-lowering medication. In them, a key measure of heart failure decreased by 33%, and the participants also lost about 10% of their blood pressure. Their weight.
Herspink is very excited about these results. “The great thing is that the drug has direct and indirect effects on the kidneys,” he says. “The drug has direct effects on inflammatory parameters in the kidneys, lowers the fatty tissue around the kidneys, reduces the amount of protein in the urine, and indirectly because “It reduces participants’ weight and blood pressure.”
Participants said they felt less hungry and therefore ate less.