Does Ozempic (Semaglutide) impact lean muscle mass?

When the fitness industry started to buzz about this new drug on the market called by its brand name Ozempic, I was a skeptic like many in the industry. For years we've known there is no "magic pill" to make you lose weight, but then Ozempic or Semaglutide (the medical name for the drug) came along and shook things up. As someone in the health space who works with clients both on the nutrition side and as a personal trainer, I knew it was only a matter of time before I'd have a client come to me for support or training who would be using Ozempic and I needed to learn what I could from a non biased perspective in order to serve my clients the best that I can. Although there is still a lot to learn about this peptide, I am neither for or against it as a tool.

Much like eating foods that are not as healthy for us as others, I believe that it serves a purpose and for many people it can be a life changing tool, when used appropriately. As with anything, there are going to be those that use the drug and abuse it and we will hear about those situations, and it will give it a bad rap, but it will also be used in ways, like I said that can change the life of others that have struggled for many years with weight loss.

Now here is where it gets a little nuanced. A lot of discussion about the drug like any other drugs that claim to help you lose weight, is that when you go off of the drug, you will gain the weight back. This can and may be true, which is why integrating lifestyle changes will in my opinion make all the difference in the world when and if someone decides it's time to come off of the drug. By building a foundation of habits, behaviours and a lifestyle changes that are part of your every day routine, when someone decides to come off the drug at some point, it will make it more sustainable long term to keep the weight off. That is why I highly recommend working with a Personal Trainer or Coach during this time.

We don't yet know enough about the drug to know for certain everything that comes with it, but research and studies are going on and will continue to do so, so that we can learn more about it, including the benefits and side effects. Although the verdict is still out, one of the topics of discussion that I've seen come up time and time again with relation to those utilizing Semaglutide for weight loss is that it suggests that lean muscle is also paired down due to the rapid fat loss. In a recent journal I read , 6 studies were conducted with 1541 overweight or obese adults who experienced significant loss, there were also notable reductions of up to 40% lean muscle mass. the good news is that the proportion of lean mass relative to body mass increased, so that's a plus.

We already know that when we lose fat at rapid rates, that muscle will also pair down if we are not resistance training and consuming enough protein to maintain lean muscle mass, so it would make sense that if someone is taking Semaglutide for weight loss at a higher dose, this could also be the case.

Just like Cardio has it's place, so does Semaglutide if used appropriately. If you are someone who only does Cardio, sure you're going to burn fat , but you will also pair down muscle at a faster rate, therefore becoming vulnerable in the future to loss of bone density and sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass), which protects us against injury as we age. So that is why I believe that if you are going to take this peptide, lifestyle changes are also an important element to prevent the decrease in lean muscle mass. I've had a few clients recently sign on with me for personal training for this very reason, because they've noticed since taking this peptide that they have in fact lost weight , but they have also become "flat". Some have noticed their glutes have vanished, and we all know that peach is ever popular these days, and some have noticed other areas like their arms that have lost some definition, so they have hired me to help them maintain and even increase muscle mass to prevent further loss and potential issues down the road.

As the industry continues to evolve with the inception of new drugs like this peptide, it's important, at least in my opinion, that we continue to remember that we are humans, and although we have technology and many new things coming out into the market that may be convenient and tantalize us with a "quick fix" solution, when it comes down to it, lifestyle integration is and will always be an important factor to consider. It requires work, it requires discipline, consistency and commitment, but like anything in life that is worth achieving these things are the recipes for success from a long term sustainability standpoint.