Hmmm. This is interesting/worrying: I was just reading about Ozempic as one of my clients is talking about going on it. The first thing I find online is a study that shows, yes, fat loss happens with Ozempic (and similar drugs), but also muscle loss.
The fact that some of the weight loss is through muscle is concerning for a demographic that struggles to hold on to muscle mass and build muscle in the first place (I’m talking about women over 40).
The thing is, this sort of approach to fat loss is something that perimenpausal women are very likely to consider – we all know about ‘menobelly’ and the sudden onset generally of fat stores that are really, really hard to get rid of. And I actually have nothing against these drugs for the right people, but they are so readily available, with so little advice attached to a prescription.
Let's hope that the message gets out to at-risk people taking these drugs to ensure they eat enough protein and choose muscle-building exercises to help offset this particular side effect.
I'd also like to point out that a change in diet, lifestyle habits and exercise habits will also offset the accumulation of fat, it just won’t happen in the same swift time window as a daily fat-loss drug. But, personally (and unsurprisingly haha), I believe it’s the better option – making good choices to support your changing body for the long term (and avoiding putting a relatively new drug in your body) has got to be the healthiest, most sustainable option.
Time will tell I guess!
Comments