GLP-1s - What You Should Know
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
Today’s topic is about Glucagon-like Peptide (GLP) agonist medications which are a class of medications used to treat diabetes and obesity. You may be taking them or are considering asking your doctor, and you should speak with them if you are curious. However, they have been made popular by mass media and have gained significant traction in the eyes of the general public for the last 2-3 years. Medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and others are common household names nowadays, and as such it is important that everyone understand what the purpose, mechanism, and effects of these medications are, as well as what side effects and literature exist on the topic, especially as it relates to strength training.
These medications have been frequently studied over the last 15-20 years since their first introduction as Type 2 diabetes treatment medications. They work very similar to a chemical in our body called glucagon-like peptide-1 which slows digestion, increases satiety, and regulates blood sugar (the original reason it was used as a diabetic treatment). Many individuals who utilize these medications report a significant decrease in “food noise” which is a persistent feeling of hunger or lack of satiety. The compounds mimic the function of GLP-1 and bind to the same receptors that GLP-1 otherwise would.
A recent systematic review which included almost 28,000 participants across 18 different studies showed that these compounds do result in clinically significant weight loss (as little as 5% and as much as 20% bodyweight loss in the first year), but what is not clear is the onset of unwanted effects after 2 years. There does not appear to be any evidence that the medications affect quality of life or mortality risk either positively or negatively. What is also not clear is the resulting weight gain after coming off these medications, as some doctors maintain a stance that they are permanent medications once started. One final important note is that most of these studies were conducted in-part with pharmaceutical funding from the direct manufacturer of the drug being studied in any given experiment. This does not inherently mean that the results are manufactured, but it does introduce a bias that cannot be ignored. If you would like to see the results for yourself, you can review the abstract and plain language summary here:
The compounds themselves are generally considered safe, but users have reported side effects like nausea, diarrhea/constipation, headache, stomach pain, and immediately relevant to us is muscle-loss. While the other symptoms are obviously not comfortable, and the study resulted in no changes to quality of life, nothing affects long-term quality of life like a loss of muscle mass. Sarcopenia, or age related muscle loss, is directly associated with osteopenia (low bone mineral content/density), and maintenance of muscle as we age is one of the greatest factors in all-cause mortality risk. Maintaining a regimented strength training routine is that much more important when taking these medications because it is one of the only realistic ways to attenuate muscle loss, and therefore keep quality of life high following the course of treatment.
If you and your doctor decide that these medications are correct for you, we hope that you are comfortable enough to tell us when you begin the medication. It helps your trainer know how to modify and what to expect in the first few weeks/months of your medication while your body attunes as opposed to experiencing a negative side-effect mid-session without any warning. We want to make sure you are safe, and that means working with you on your health goal! If you would like to continue to learn more about these medications, Method Fitness will be interviewing an Endocrinologist and a Registered Dietician in a free Webinar on April 23rd at 7:30 PM! Finish dinner and take an hour to listen to our panel of experts talk about these medications, and you will have the opportunity to ask them questions directly. If you are interested, please use this QR code to RSVP for the event!
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