New and popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy can help patients shed a lot of pounds, but they do little to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, which is a major predictor of mortality, according to UVA Health researchers.
Dr. Zhenqi Liu, left, and associate professor of kinesiology Siddhartha S. Angadi say patients may need to add dietary protein to their routines to stave off muscle loss associated with the weight-loss drugs. (Contributed photos)
In other words, patients who respond to the weight-loss drugs may look trimmer, but are not necessarily fitter.
In a new paper, the researchers propose that patients using the GLP-1 medications for weight loss also include exercise in their routines and ensure adequate dietary protein intake to achieve the maximum health benefit. In addition to losing fat, patients on the drugs also lose something called “fat-free mass,” which can be up to 50% muscle.
“Some patients literally told me that they felt that they were losing muscle or muscle was slipping away from them while they were on these medications,” Dr. Zhenqi Liu, a researcher and the former chief of UVA Health’s Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, said. “This is a serious concern. Muscles, especially axial muscles, are essential for posture, physical function and overall well-being.”
The researchers, including associate professor of kinesiology Siddhartha S. Angadi and graduate student Nathan R. Weeldreyer, arrived at this conclusion by reviewing the drugs’ effects on cardiorespiratory fitness, or how efficiently the heart, lungs and muscles work together during physical activity like walking, running or swimming. This measurement – sometimes called “VO2max” – is the gold standard measure of aerobic fitness, Angadi said.
