GLP-1 Drugs: A Warning
Why do we need to be careful with medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, Rybelsus and Mounjaro?
They Decrease Your Muscle Mass!
The Cost of Modern Weight Loss
Decreasing muscle mass puts you at risk for having brittle bones, and brittle bones break!
Muscle mass is intricately connected to bone health in women, showcasing that greater muscle mass leads to enhanced bone mineral density (BMD) and a lowered risk of osteoporosis.
Research highlights a remarkable bond between increased skeletal muscle mass and a significantly reduced risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis, with estimates showing a potential decrease of around 37%.
Weakness Behind Weight Loss
Women facing low muscle mass, known as sarcopenia, are 2x as likely to encounter osteoporosis.
Studies focused on postmenopausal women indicate that more skeletal muscle mass lowers the risk of developing osteoporosis, with postmenopausal women experiencing sarcopenia having 12.9x the odds of developing the condition.
Health Starts With Strength
Physical activity is essential in this relationship, as lean body mass is associated with BMD across various bones.
Moreover, muscle mass is more necessary than fat mass for sustaining bone health, especially among older adults, particularly women.
The strongest evidence for enhancing BMD and minimizing the risk of osteoporosis lies in resistance training combined with impact exercises performed three times a week.
Embrace the power of strength - your bones will thank you!
Today's Gentle Goal
Do one small act to protect your muscles.
Take a 10-15 minute walk, do a few squats, or carry something a little heavier than usual with intention (always making sure to bend at your hips and knees, not your back).
Lastly, before using a GLP-1 drug, pause and ask yourself: "Have I truly given healthy daily habits a real chance first?"
If you'd like to explore the research on GLP-1 medications, feel free to review the following papers:
Relationship of Sarcopenia and Body Composition With Osteoporosis. He H, Liu Y, Tian Q, et al. Osteoporosis International : A Journal Established as Result of Cooperation Between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA. 2016;27(2):473-82. doi:10.1007/s00198-015-3241-8.
Muscle Mass Measures and Incident Osteoporosis in a Large Cohort of Postmenopausal Women. Papageorgiou M, Sathyapalan T, Schutte R. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle.
Comparative Efficacy Different Resistance Training Protocols on Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. Wang Z, Zan X, Li Y, et al. Frontiers in Physiology. 2023;14:1105303. doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1105303.
The Effects of Differing Resistance Training Modes on the Preservation of Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women: A Meta-Analysis. Zhao R, Zhao M, Xu Z. Osteoporosis International : A Journal Established as Result of Cooperation Between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA. 2015;26(5):1605-18. doi:10.1007/s00198-015-3034-0.
Thank you for reading this week’s Puraven GLP-1 feature.
If you’d like more evidence-based wellness guidance, explore Puraven Beauty & Wellness' resources and coaching at puraven.com.
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With love,
Leah
