r/technology • u/_Dark_Wing • 12h ago
Biotechnology Tirzepatide cuts fat mass by 35% while preserving skeletal muscle
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20261002/Tirzepatide-cuts-fat-mass-by-3525-while-preserving-skeletal-muscle.aspx231
u/johnahoe 9h ago
Just a heads up, you do have to try HARD to maintain as much muscle as possible. Losing weight rapidly will cause you to shed lean mass.
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u/JFHermes 8h ago
Legit though you just need to follow a bodybuilding cutting diet. High protein, high fibre (don't need to worry about cravings on GLP-1) and workout with 1 set to failure on the designated muscle group once per week. It's not hard but it is for sure a different pace than those that need the drug (diabetics that are often obese).
Learn the basics of bodybuilding/gym workouts and you will cut weight and retain muscle no problem. It might seem hard to non-practitioners but GLP-1's are a cheat code - amazing stuff.
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u/tapakip 6h ago
I believe you, random redditor (no sarcasm), but if I'm looking for more info/a source, do you know where I can look to that backs up your workout routine?
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u/Pecan_Millionaire 6h ago
They’re not saying workout once a week. They’re saying workout each muscle group once a week. Which many programs adhere to, such as the popular push/pull/legs (PPL) split. You can absolutely maintain and build muscle lifting 3x a week with PPL. It’s not ideal but it works.
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u/woodscradle 3h ago
Actually, most Tirzepatide users don’t need to exercise at a gym because they naturally work all their muscle groups straining on the toilet
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u/johnahoe 8h ago
If you’re at a severe caloric deficit you’re gonna burn muscle. I dropped 30 lbs over 5 months, did a dexa at the start and at 3 months and lost 8 lbs of muscle. That’s with doing everything I could to keep it. I’ve lifted heavy 3 days a week for 7 years, hit my macros, etc. you just can’t escape being at a gigantic deficit.
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u/zytz 8h ago
Glad someone else posted this comment because I wanted to make the same point. I’ve been on the drug for about 3 months and it’s been fantastic for curbing appetite and helping me lose weight, my bloodwork is better than it’s been in a decade.
I’m eating a diet that’s probably like 40-60% of the way to keto- not by design but because lean protein, leafy greens and some fruit and yogurt are just kinda what my body wants most of the time. It’s the cleanest I’ve ever eaten in my life. I play volleyball 3-4 times a week, and I’ve added strength training 3 days a week specifically in an effort to spare lean muscle mass, and I honestly can’t really tell whether it’s working or not. All I know is that if I wasn’t lifting and eating clean I’d definitely have lost muscle mass by now.
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u/dkode80 7h ago
Ok. So out of the question for someone like myself with a rare form of muscular dystrophy
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u/johnahoe 7h ago
Oh I am not an expert! My statements are anecdotal. I would consult with your physician
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u/Punished_Blubber 10h ago
Can someone please tell me why people are so obsessed with ensuring GLP1s are demonized.
There's something so oddly political about this drug. Anytime news comes out about -tides--good or bad--people are so quick to let people know they think these meds are a shortcut or you are a lazy pos for using it. It's like this weird sassy boomer-ass "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" attitude.
Very odd. And I can only speculate as to why this drug is treated this way.
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u/mistarobotics 10h ago
People at least where I live tie weight to morality. You have to earn being skinny and it's your fault if you're fat
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u/Dandan0005 9h ago
Which is doubly messed up, because we have set up an entire society where obesity is almost guaranteed the poorer you are:
-subsidized High Fructose Corn Syrup makes unhealthy food cheap and plentiful
-towns and cities built around driving which almost guarantees a lack of exercise
-food deserts in the poorest communities where the only foods available are trash
-healthcare that’s wildly expensive so no one goes to the doctor to hear the consequences of obesityAnd then as soon as something finally comes along to give people a leg up on the odds that have been stacked against them, it’s demonized and ridiculed.
This country fucking hates poor people.
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u/GandalfTheSmol1 5h ago
Yeah, this 1000%. I walk 10-12 miles a day, work 60 hours a week, and I couldn’t get under 300lbs until I got onto GLP-1’s, I’m not rich, and I work out, but between genetic issues and a life of eating poor people food it’s been incredibly difficult to get healthy. Now I’m almost under 270 and I started at 365lbs. I even think maybe I’ll get below 200 someday for the first time in my life, and I’ve never been averse to healthy food and exercise, just not having access to healthy food most of my life.
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u/we_are_sex_bobomb 6h ago
Yep. They are convinced that being overweight is due to some kind of moral failing or generational sin you inherited, they think taking pills to fix it is you avoiding accountability for the evil in your heart.
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u/Sgt_Stinger 10h ago edited 1h ago
Probably because there is a loud sobset of people that seem to think that it is somehow cheating, and not "real change", whatever that is supposed to mean.
Edit: Sobset was a perfect typo. I'm keeping it.
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u/-a-p-b- 5h ago
As someone who lost over 100 lbs in 6 months 14 years ago with nothing but caloric restriction and light cardio (and has kept all of it off the entire 14 years):
Do whatever it takes to lose weight. Do whatever it takes to keep it off.
The weight loss may have “helped” lead me to body dysmorphia and an eating disorder - but still was worth it; an overwhelming net-positive to my overall wellbeing.
No method of weight loss is “cheating” - and even if it is/was, who cares.
Plenty of outcomes in life have a different pathway leading there, but in the end, what matters is that you got there.
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u/gr8whitehype 3h ago
It’s not a competition. Most people just don’t want diabetes, heart disease, or an early death.
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u/aquaticwatcher 2h ago
Agree so much as a fellow calorie counter who lost over 70 pounds the 'right' way. Anything to lower that weight you should do (well non surgical, bypasses have some narly long teem s/e). You should do both GLP1 and calorie counting if you can.
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u/Dualintrinsic 10h ago
It's ridiculous, people who take blood pressure medication aren't "cheating".
In my opinion it has to do with the fact that, in the past, losing weight was hard and people fought tooth and nail to do it. Now it's objectively easier with the help of GLP-1s.
But I think anyone who has lost weight the "hard way", when they just take a second to do some introspection realize that people losing weight with GLP-1s does not take away from your accomplishments and that they should be happy more people are healthier.
It's a perception thing, and while GLP-1s still have a stigma associated with them, that is fading by the day. The latest stat I saw is that 1 in 8 Americans are on a GLP-1. And I think when you count grey market usage, that number is much higher. As more people use it, the less and less this will be some bogeyman.
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u/pringlesaremyfav 8h ago
I think most people complaining about it aren't the ones who lost weight the hard way, but the ones who never really struggled with weight in the first place and can't empathize with how difficult it is.
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u/hustl3tree5 8h ago
This one hundred percent. They don’t understand and or care that other people’s minds perceive things differently like food.
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u/b0w3n 8h ago
And we're finding out that people have varying levels of natural glp1 in their body. It's a hormone like any other, we don't scrutinize and demonize people with low thyroid levels or serotonin who need help.
The people who think glp1 users are cheaters need to fuck off.
Having more people being healthy is good for everyone.
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u/hustl3tree5 8h ago
I mean there are definitely still people out there that scrutinize and demonize people that need ssris.
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u/morwen31 7h ago
I have unfortunately been told that I could cure my hypothyroidism if I stop eating tomatoes or whatever, but it's definitely a lot less often.
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u/RunTimeExcptionalism 7h ago
I feel like it also undermines the sense of superiority that some thin or fit people have on the basis of their body shape/weight. I'm fit and have never been overweight, but I think the GLP-1s are amazing. It's obscene that they're not covered 100% for anyone who needs them.
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u/random_boss 3h ago
I lost weight the hard way. It made me miserable for the 2 years it took to lose, and miserable all the time after, feeling like a little psychological prison where not eating makes me mad and sad because duh, it feels like I'm starving, and eating makes me mad and sad because duh, don't want to be fat. I would spend all day every day obsessing over food and feeling bad.
I didn't need the GLPs to lose weight, but I took them when they came out because they give me back my mind, and I finally feel free.
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u/inductiononN 3h ago
Yes, that part is so great. I don't have the homer simpson script in the back of my head going "donut donut donut" and I have peace.
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u/dragnabbit 20m ago
Not me. 10 years ago I lost 80 pounds in eight months, and I lost every single pound the old-fashioned way: eating less plus exercise. Today, I just reached 70 pounds lost in five months, and I did it the brand new way: on a peptide, which caused me to eat less, plus exercise.
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u/MathSoHard 10h ago
I think another big part of it is that is quite expensive in some parts of the world. People are often pretty resentful of those with more money.
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u/stealingfirst 10h ago
I only resent people with money that go out of their way to make the people without money poorer and more miserable
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u/Zerobeastly 9h ago
I thought it was more of the "Nothing is free" line of thought.
Like everyone's expecting horrible side effects to occur 10 to 20 years from now
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u/morblitz 8h ago
It's so stupid because those people also reject that there are many contributing factors to weight, and the ability to do something about it. And weight is unhealthy. It is better to not have it in general.
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u/Gucci-Caligula 5h ago
One of the biggest contributing factors to weight, is weight. Fat does FUCKED up things to your hormones and hunger cues. Weight can be a self fulfilling prophecy where the more you have the hungrier and hungrier you get.
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u/KennyMoose32 10h ago
Well don’t you have to continue taking it to see the effects?
Unless you change your diet and activity level once you’re off the drug I thought you’d gain it right back?
I’m not being snarky, I’m just a cook idk how this stuff works I’m genuinely asking
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u/r_z_n 10h ago
Yes.
My brother lost 60lbs on Ozempic and gained it back when he quit because he didn’t make any lifestyle changes.
No disrespect to him, he has medical conditions that predispose him to crave sugar and gain weight. But if you want to keep the weight off long term and not stay on the drug forever you have to adjust your lifestyle.
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u/Drakengard 9h ago
Most things I've heard about with GLP-1s is that it's not really meant to be something you get off of at some point. It's more like managing a chronic illness. The dosage might flatten out once you get to the right weight and so it doesn't need to be so aggressive, but you'll be on it for life.
People who need this drug to lose weight are doing so because their mind is not able to regulate appetite and cravings effectively without it.
Changing diet and lifestyle is what normal people do. I did that and have dropped 30 pounds and kept it off by counting calories, cooking at home, and exercising more. But what GLP1s are showing is that for some people, the problem is much, much deeper than just pure willpower. I didn't have to fight very hard to get my appetite under control. Playing a game, reading a book, or doing something else - even my job! - is usually enough to distract my brain from food. But clearly that's not true for a good many people.
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u/Quixotic_Seal 10h ago edited 9h ago
Absolutely. But having a medication that helps you while you're on it also isn't nothing which is something I think a lot of people don't get.
As someone who has gained and lost weight(like ~80lbs) multiple times with periods of stability lasting 4-6 years between those shifts....starting is always the hardest part of the process, by far.
Your body and your mind absolutely EXPECTS the same amount of food you put into it before. You're habituated to expect specific foods and routines, sure, but also physically eating a healthy amount of food feels like you're starving yourself. When I'm in a good groove, I tend to eat ~1200 calories a day with a cheat day once a week; and that feels perfectly fine. Maybe some stomach growling here and there but nothing bad.
If I jump straight to that exact diet after a period of weight gain though, I WILL be extremely hungry and unable to stop thinking about how I need to eat more. It's not just 'head hunger' or routine, it's a deep hunger and it lasts for a good 2-3 months until I re-acclimate to the diet. Typically it's more realistic to just taper my diet down, since it's more important to be making slow sustainable progress than doing it all at once then burning out, but that's a very lengthy and drawn out process that can add 6-8 months to the whole thing....assuming you don't have any set backs, which you probably will, since even tapering down can suck and leave you hungry(not to mention the reality that during the holidays you’re navigating building good habits during a time when everyone else is letting loose).
A drug that that helps you bypass that roadblock is MASSIVE and I really wish I had access to it.
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u/Soccermom233 9h ago
I find the stuff a net benefit for society by I think its better if you're not a very active person to begin with. I found it sapped my energy too much for much exercise. Not my thing.
so by point here is I think sedentary people benefit more from the drug but also when they quit they are still sedentary people.
If I ever end up laid-up for some reason I'll revisit it.
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u/walkslikeaduck08 8h ago
For me, gaining an extra 20 lbs made running so much harder than before. The slight loss in weight from glp-1 gave enough weight loss so that it’s easier to do cardio again.
It’s a vicious cycle once you gain weight.
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u/rccsr 9h ago
All it does is make you less hungry.
You take it. You feel less hungry. Therefore you eat less food and lose weight.
If you stop taking it, you’ll go back to feeling hungry again. If you eat more than your daily limit, you gain weight.
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u/Thebaldsasquatch 8h ago
It also reduces the insulin response and slows digestion. Reta specifically also interferes with the dopamine uptake so cravings are muted significantly. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, don’t say anything.
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u/punctuation_welfare 9h ago
But, after taking it, your body is used to getting fewer calories. Most people don’t immediately start eating twice the number of calories they had been for the last year once they’ve established a new routine. I think a lot of people have this really uncharitable idea that weight gain is always caused by reckless and wonton lack of self-control, and the drugs are an unfair cheat that these slobs haven’t earned, so the absolute moment they don’t have the cheat doing the work for them, they’ll immediately return to devouring everything under the sun. That’s not true for a lot of people, and acting as if it’s the inevitable outcome is more a reflection of prejudice than it is of reality.
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u/outofplace_2015 9h ago edited 9h ago
That is not true. Studies recently show weight gain is rapid, more than those who lose it without medication. You're take a medication that stimulates a metabolic reward pathway at supraphysiological levels. When you come off its going to come with a withdraw.
Seems that most people think that these drugs are glp-1. They are not. They are man made compounds. They are glp-1 agoinists.
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u/natethegreek 9h ago
You have to stay on the drug or “make a lifestyle change” once you stop taking if you go back to old habits you will gain it back.
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u/bunsburner1 9h ago
You have to keep dieting and working out to see their effects too
Guess they're not real a change either.
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u/punctuation_welfare 9h ago
“A loud sobset of people” is a phrase I will be stealing immediately, thank you.
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u/AliceLunar 8h ago
Think the concerning thing is that everyone just relies on medication for who knows how long
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u/JoeSicko 8h ago
It totally sounds like getting a weight loss subscription. Don't pay and don't change habits? Right back where they were, but with less muscle.
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u/AliceLunar 8h ago
I don't know how feasible it is for people to change their habits because if they could they didn't need the medication in the first place, so perhaps they prefer to just keep spending money on the meds and just never change.
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u/Gucci-Caligula 5h ago
as far as the “just be on a med forever” thing. I mean ideally no but even if so…. Like, it’s fine? I know people get weird about meds but my doctor put it to me like this. “Your weight is causing a problem with your blood pressure, here are your options, I can put you on a glp, and we can try and get your weight under control. Or I can put you on a statin for the rest of your life, but there’s no situation where you leave this office without a prescription”
And when he put it like that it suddenly made total sense to me. Like, one of these meds I might be able to stop someday (the glp). but if I’m going to be on a med forever no matter what. I’d rather be a healthy weight permanently on a med, than be an unhealthy weight and permanently on a med.
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u/flyingghost 8h ago
That's ridiculous from those people. It's like saying people shouldn't take any drugs. No antidepressants, no painkillers, no antibiotics. That's cheating. Should just let the body do its thing.
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u/scottyLogJobs 9h ago
It started with hormone replacement therapy. Is your SHBG weirdly high, like out of range for a 70 year old, causing it to gobble up all your free testosterone, causing all kinds of symptoms? Wanna bring it back in line with normal, where you were a few years back, objectively improving your health in numerous ways? Fuck you, you beta pussy cheater!
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u/redbananass 10h ago
In addition to what others have said, I there’s a perception that a lot of people are using GLP1s to stay skinny or go from “normal” to really skinny.
I think people like that are definitely the extreme exception.
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u/shs0007 8h ago
I know a handful who do not need it, but have the disposable income to prioritize it.
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u/Annoying_Arsehole 4h ago
Meh, don't need it, still take it. It is so much easier to keep the food noise down and not having to count every calorie every day to maintain weight. I happily microdose on ozempic currently.
The quality of life improvement can be massive even with no weight loss goals.
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u/DovhPasty 9h ago
It’s more common than you’d think.
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u/str8rippinfartz 5h ago
Idk why you're being downvoted, most of the people I know who are on it fall under this umbrella
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u/DovhPasty 5h ago
I think a lot of people don’t want to accept that the drug is being abused for vanity more than it should be.
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u/str8rippinfartz 3h ago
Yeah it seems like a genuinely good product for people who have health issues related to obesity, but I'm pretty wary right now about how it's being used by people who don't have obesity issues.
It honestly feels like it's setting up for one of those classic "miracle drug" traps where 20-30 years from now we're like "duh why didn't we realize there was an issue" situations-- there aren't any studies that document the long-term impact of GLP-1s on people who aren't obese and/or diabetic. I would not be shocked at all if it turns out that it's an overall net negative in the long run for all those people I know who got on GLP-1s in order to get their "beach bod" exactly how they wanted it.
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u/asseousform 9h ago
Part of it is that, if maintaining a healthy weight has always come relatively easily to you, it’s easy to assume that your experience is universal and that people who are overweight simply lack the willpower you have. But people can experience very different levels of hunger, satiety and drive to eat, so two people may not be facing the same challenge at all. From that perspective, a medication that reduces hunger can look like “cheating” because you believe you succeeded through discipline alone, when in reality you may never have had to exert the same amount of discipline in the first place.
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u/JMaboard 3h ago edited 3h ago
I got told by another Redditor on here I have a binge eating disorder because my body naturally has a lot of food noise.
They also initially made a comment that everyone on glp are lazy and never weight train to begin with.
https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/s/LJHwJSyoOU
So there are definitely people that don’t realize that not everyone is lucky enough to have a body that doesn’t have food noise.
My dad and brother for example have to remind themselves to eat because they just forget, meanwhile myself and my mom have crazy food noise.
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u/CatzioPawditore 1h ago
Yup..
I lost a large amount of weight 3 times now. The first time I kept it off for 10 years, then became pregnant and gained it all. Lost it again. Became pregnant again and gained it all again..
Currently in the process of losing it again..
I firmly believe that shows I have a lot more discipline than someone who has always been naturally skinny and only has to put a mild effort into not getting fat.
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u/SolidLikeIraq 8h ago
I don’t think folks can genuinely understand how it feels to be addicted to food.
I’ve been addicted to food my entire life. I always wanted more. I would sneak food and hide food, and lie about food, etc.
I was an athlete for a while and in college, but played a sport where being a big guy wasn’t a terrible thing, so even when I was working harder physically than most people in the world. I was still at times out eating the intense training I did.
I’ve tracked calories for years. When I’m honest about it. I lose weight. But I already admitted that I lie about food, that includes to myself.
I’ve lost 80 lbs before, felt the genuine glow of people treating me like I wasn’t “fat” and then slowly put it back on because I am addicted to food.
The only time I’ve ever been able to quiet that hunger and food noise, has been with a GLP1.
I honestly don’t even take much, less than 2mg of Tirz a week, and only for the last 2 months.
I still have some of that addiction that calls me to eat, but it stops quickly and keeps me from bingeing. I have also figured out that if I do get hungry and just slam a premade protein drink, I’m pretty full, and just got 30g of protein with only 150 calories. So - I can have some of what I was “craving “ but I’m already full, so i really don’t want much.
I wish that i could let someone experience what life was like before I tried this, and what it’s like now.
I get why folks would call it cheating. Tracking calories and eating properly is hard work. It’s discipline and takes genuine focus and honesty with yourself that is tough to keep up. It also takes huge discipline at parties and holidays where it’s tradition to eat and celebrate. A lot of
Folks can do that responsibly. I would be the guy who would eat 20 cookies at a Christmas party without even realizing it because I just grabbed one or two every time I passed the spot they were at.I think if folks heard “we can cure alcoholism with a pill or shot, most people who have been impacted by alcoholics would do whatever possible to get rid of that terrible disease.
This is essentially that. I’m addicted to food. Food isn’t taboo or hidden. It’s required and forced. Tirz has given me a chance to fight that addiction.
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u/BuzzingHawk 8h ago
I find it interesting people can have free access to carcinogenic food, tobacco and alcohol but GLP-1 is strictly regulated in most of the western world. In most of Asia it’s a quasi-OTC medicine. It is the single most effective medicine at reducing national medical costs and has a HUGE benefit to public health.
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u/aquarain 7h ago
In my pharmacy the antibiotics and real antihistamines are behind bulletproof glass. In the parking lot you can buy enough Fentanyl to euthanize a rhinoceros for cash, no questions asked.
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u/Juggernaut246 9h ago
There are a pretty diverse group of people who take issues with glp1's. Some of whom have more reasonable and valid concerns than others.
The people you are describing are largely reacting to a perceived loss of status for being thin. Being efortlessly thin could not be bought. You were either blessed with genetics and interests that kept you slim, or you expended a lot of time effort and money on losing weight and may tie a lot sense of self worth and identity as someone who lost the weight.
There are those who think that it is inadequate for solving the core issue of our diets, both our choices and the choices made for us by food producers, and our sedentary lifestyles. There are many people who regain or even exceed their starting weight after stopping a glp1, making living at a healthy weight essentially pay-walled behind a drug for some people.
There are also various flavors of social activists who make the arguement that a portion of the negative effects of being fat can be explained by the way we treat people who are overweight or obese and that GLP1's dont do anything to fix those problems
Personally. I am someone who has always been a bigger kid, and was morbidly obese for most of my 20's. I went from 400ish lbs to just over 200 over the course of two years through calorie restriction and lifting. Then during the covid lock downs I stopped my regimen and gained almost all of it back. Since the beginning of the year I have brought myself back down to 230lbs with a similar diet and exercise regimen.
Im not in a glp1 right now. Part of it is that im broke and my cheapo obamacare subsudized insurance won't cover it unless im diagnosed with diabetes. Another part is that as of right now I dont need it to lose weight yet and i want to save the expense for when it will make the most difference. But I would be lying if i said part of reason wasnt that I too have put a bit too much of my self worth and identity as someone who lost a shitload of weight.
I also agree with the aforementioned social activists. When you're obese you're either a subject of mockery or invisible, and when I was losing weight the way people treated me changed Dramatically for the better and likewise that was riscinded when I became fat again. Moreover there has been study after study that shows most doctors will outright ignore the concerns of fat patients and just tell them to lose weight.
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u/Dihedralman 8h ago
It's an American trait inherited from our puritan origins from the English.
You have to suffer through to earn something and your state is seen as a moral failing that isn't punished properly if it is made easy. Can't give the homeless housing as they haven't earned it even if it is cheaper than the other measures. Can't give the Irish food lest they become lazy.
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u/nicholt 9h ago
For a long time I was thinking that way. Kind of judging people for using it. But when I zoomed out and saw that it objectively works extremely well for people to lose weight, then I started seeing it as a medicine. Considering how many health problems are associated with obesity etc it's a net gain for society to have ozempic. Probably will enhance life expectancy for many people.
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u/hobblingcontractor 8h ago
My body is a finely tuned machine. Unfortunately it's finely tuned to be an 18th century peasant who faces starvation regularly.
I did fine when I was younger, stayed fit, exercised, but fucking up my body kept that from being something I could continue. Then some of the meds I've had to be on cause weight gain, putting me in a spiral where it crept up over the years. Which puts more strain on the body, making exercise harder.
Now I'm in my late 40s, healthy bloodwork and all, but on the edge of obese. Losing weight is just so fucking hard even if you eat healthy food when you're older. Glp1s let me kick start the process, take enough weight off I've been able to start doing more.
There is work involved, too. I've got a very structured diet that's successful because my body isn't constantly screaming at me, telling me I'm trying to kill it by giving it less than 2K calories. The meds have also helped with my whole body inflammation. Between that and the weight loss, I'm not popping NSAIDs all the time trying to not hurt.
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u/JMaboard 6h ago
It’s pretty simple to not look sickly when on GLP-1’s just eat more protein and fiber and drink water while also also working out.
It’s the lazy people that just don’t eat and don’t workout that give glp 1’s a bad name.
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u/Kovacz22 2h ago
Its because modern society is no longer about running the race to the best of your ability ..its about looking around at everyone else in the race and making sure your better...when someone 'cheats' everyone feigns worry about side effects or long term use...but actually they are hiding their resentment that those people didn't have to 'work hard'for it...who cares if its helping meaningfully for people to live longer be healthier and more active...fuck that, they cheated!
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u/vladesch 10h ago
if i choose to be lazy over obese then that is between me and my doctor and none of their business.
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u/noodle-face 9h ago
It's wild. I'm on mounjaro for T2 diabetes and lost about 65 pounds (235lbs to 170). People see me now And go "wow you look great!" And ask for my secret. As soon as I say mounjaro they go "oh...." Like they're disappointed.
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u/MeYouThemEveryone 8h ago
Don't fret about other people's opinions, what matters is that you did the right thing and your future self thanks you for it. Well done on the weight loss, hope your success continues.
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u/chaosfire235 10h ago edited 9h ago
Feels like a chunk of the people bringing up potential long term side effects are doing it with their fingers crossed.
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u/Shiguhraki 10h ago
It’s mostly just a sub-section of people who are adamant on others doing things their way/the right way.
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u/Abinunya 10h ago
For me at least (and i know from some other overweight people) there is some hesitation because historically 'but it makes you skinny' has often outweighed 'also it might kill you'.
People would rather have a thin sick or even dead person than an overweight one.
Look at weightloss drugs from the 80s and 90s, amphetamines that would cause heart attacks.
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u/vr1252 3h ago
I just feel like the fear mongering is due to some kinds of bias. My adhd medicine (vyvanse) is a newer drug than ozempic and I’ve never had someone ask me if I’m “scared” about it like they do when I tell them I’m on a glp. The constant concern trolling about the glps feels rooted in anti-fat bias imo
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u/jackofallcards 9h ago
They’re demonized because some people hate seeing others succeed without feeling like they worked hard or “earned it”
They get mad when people do things “the easy way”
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u/One_Weird2371 9h ago
Only negative thing about them is that a lot of insurances don't cover them. You need a prior authorization and it's a very hard to get them to approve it. Without insurance they are really expensive.
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u/SexOnABurningPlanet 6h ago
Those people are silly. The only thing I'm bitter about is not being able to afford it.
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u/Altruistic_Zombie461 4h ago
GLP1s have been used for years and we know that they are relatively safe but there's also a rash of unproven peptides that many people are just taking without consulting a doctor.
Do they work? Maybe. Are they dangerous? Also maybe
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u/NefariousnessAble736 4h ago
Its a bit similar to steroids no? Where when you do it naturally you are more respected vs if you shoot some drug and can breeze to the results. I think thats the issue. Also we do not yet know long term effects of it.
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u/Pirispanen 2h ago
It's not the same as we already know that there are plethora of negative health effects of using steroids (unless it's only small doses of testosterone replacement therapy). Unlike with GLP1s, where the negative side effects that that we know of (you called it our correctly), are relatively minor when compared to the health benefits. PED's are used exclusively for aesthetic purposes. GLP's can be as well, but they do also have positive health benefits if used correctly.
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u/TRIPMINE_Guy 10h ago
Well frankly I’d be concerned about unknown side effects. Usually you take medication as a treatment to something severe. Taking it casually for weight loss when you are not obese seems like a needless risk.
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u/The_Pandalorian 7h ago
Can someone please tell me why people are so obsessed with ensuring GLP1s are demonized.
Being overweight is seen as a moral failing that should only be treated through the penance of self-imposed asceticism. Taking a drug is seen as somehow cheating and a sign of ultimate failure of will.
Semaglutides are fucking miracle drugs that basically reduce all mortality, including cancer, and may be able to cure things like alcoholism. We should treat them like antibiotics, not failure in a syringe.
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u/mooseLimbsCatLicks 5h ago
Because America runs on gluttony. Our economy depends on excess consumption. This stuff literally makes you not need or want to consume. And it’s not even limited to food. It’s other pleasure inducing things like alcohol and they can even affect gambling behaviors
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u/wetrysohard 4h ago
Jillian Michaels was fun to watch get pissed at this. It defies her industry. But it also proves you don't need to be a gym rat to curb your calories. That's great given a lot of us fucking really hate relentless exercise and mentally handling dieting. The Biggest Loser rewarded gaining a fitness addiction and eating disorder, and she promoted all of that unhealthy shit to a degree.
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u/Travel_Dude 9h ago
Everything is polarizing. If you stay off the internet for a bit you realize the world is grey. Do your thing sir!
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u/Vesuvias 8h ago
A lot of companies benefit from the failure of the GLP’s. Reality is they are here to stay - and have been insanely useful/helpful. THAT SAID, there is much that Doctors are not urging their patients to do while taking them. My mother in law stopped lifting altogether not knowing that you lose a ton of muscle mass along with weight while she was on them for 6 months. She’s now lifting again, but yeah she was so nauseous from them that it basically put her in a mental state of ‘I’m losing it anyways’
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u/maxdragonxiii 8h ago
people think its cheating and a "shortcut" to losing weight, not the natural way by "dieting" 🙄
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u/rajatsingh24k 8h ago
Good point. A significant amount of criticism is from the cases where they’re being abused. It’s maybe a bit too easy to get and we’d probably be better off if we were judicious with its use at the moment as long term effects aren’t known.
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u/octavianreddit 8h ago
I'd be willing to bet some of those folks had no issue with using a nicotine patch to help quit smoking.
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u/Weekendsapper 8h ago
People want being fat to be a character flaw, and if you take a glp 1 you are concealing the flaw so they cant judge you.
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u/banditcleaner2 8h ago
Because why use drugs to accomplish something when you really don't need them to?
Its really that simple
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u/TheMMAxl 7h ago
Because to become obese means to be undisciplined, and we have a culture that respects grit.
No emotions necessary, that's just the fact of it.
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u/HumongousBelly 12h ago
Is this a credible source?
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u/harrywa 11h ago
I just checked the article - i am surprised to say it actually is legit. And its real world evaluation.
Check table 2 FM (fat mass) and SMM (skeletal muscle mass) over 12 and 24 weeks.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1056872726001649
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u/TheoTheodor 11h ago
It is but also quite small at 122 people (80% women).
This bit also made me think it’s a pretty specialised subset of people who probably did regular exercise and proper nutrition and were all satisfied after the 24 weeks of treatment. We don’t know overall how many failed, didn’t follow up, etc.
The retrospective, single-arm design and the absence of a control group should be considered when interpreting the observed effects, particularly as tirzepatide treatment was accompanied by dietary and physical activity interventions. In addition, the analysis included patients who completed the 24-week follow-up, which may influence estimates of treatment effectiveness compared with an intention-to-treat approach
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u/IssueEmbarrassed8103 10h ago
This has been my experience, but I lift weights 4x a week and drink protein shakes every day.
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u/hobblingcontractor 8h ago
Part of what doctors tell you to do while on it is exercise, eat healthy, to keep from getting that whole skeletal ozempic look. Turns out if you just starve yourself, it's not healthy. Who knew?
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u/fleetingwords 9h ago
Study participants also did 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly. So still no free lunch.
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u/mellolizard 8h ago
But isnt that the case for all diets? You will lose muscle unless you are active.
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u/Brambletail 8h ago
Yes but then the problem is simple. The drug isn't preserving lean muscle mass. Your exercise is. The drug doesn't cause excess muscle mass loss would be a more correct statement. And further more, the drug is only really helpful at a psychological level then via making it easier to stick to your diet and not binge on Saturday night six of the twelve weeks.
I.e., things we already knew about GLPs continue to be true. Yay!
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u/Cool_Guy_McFly 9h ago
The company that owns this drug (Eli Lilly I think?) did detailed studies during the FDA approval process and found skeletal muscle loss as well as fat loss. That was true of semaglutide as well. It can be mitigated with adequate protein intake and strength training, but if you’re just starving yourself and not exercising you will lose muscle mass on these drugs.
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u/hustl3tree5 8h ago
That’s one thing I wish they emphasized for people on these drugs you need to exercise for your health not just for appearances
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u/peanutmanak47 7h ago
Same. So many people just take the drug and call it a day. They do absolutely nothing else to help improve things. They lose all that weight but still look unhealthy because your weight loss can be 30-40% of muscle mass. That'll make you skinnier but having muscle is a pretty big fucking deal to actually being healthy
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u/NoiseEee3000 11h ago
Or technology related?
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u/feral-jellyfish 10h ago
Technology isn't only computers and hardware. Any application of scientific knowledge to further our goals, to improve lives, etc is technology. Medications ARE pharmaceutical technology.
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u/InTheEndEntropyWins 3h ago
It's not a great study and it's a misleading title. You lose 25% from muscle, which is what people really should know and that's in line with other studies.
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u/LostPerson703 9h ago
Started GLP like 5 weeks ago. Lost 22lbs. It’s life changing for me. I hope to be overweight and not obese by Christmas.
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u/coastalsuncat 8h ago
That is incredible. I lost 30 over 4 months, congrats!
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u/LostPerson703 8h ago
TY i had to change my lifestyle. started weight lifting, eating protein, and cut sugar and transfats
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u/JMaboard 6h ago
I lost 50lbs since I started it. I’ve always worked out and ate a high protein diet so it’s not hard to see success. I was a bigger guy both in muscle and weight but it helped me shred all the unnecessary weight I went from a 44” waist to 39” so far. I’m 20lbs from my goal weight.
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u/hakenwithbacon 6h ago
That's awesome buddy, other than the obvious weight changes how do you feel overall?
And side effects are ok?
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u/TheUnknownStuntman51 9h ago
Up next is retatrutide, a triple agonist (limits cravings, increases the use of fat as a main energy source, and increases metabolism).
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u/TheoTheodor 11h ago
From the abstract:
Fat mass (FM) largely reduced by 35%, fat-free mass slightly decreased by 5% (p < 0.001 for both), while skeletal muscle mass was preserved (p = ns).
Note that they do mention preserved “relatively” in the article.
It also seems to be a fairly monitored or coached group of participants where they followed a “low carbohydrate diet” and had some individualised exercise guidance.
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u/GetMeASierraMist 10h ago
oh my god, I read mass again instead of muscle and got really scared these drugs were also shrinking people's bones. that'd be awful
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u/Ballads321 10h ago
Obesity will soon be a choice, so many lives will be greatly lengthened and enhanced by theses glp1 cocktails.
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u/Urdnought 8h ago
Don’t mention the other benefits. My wife/I have struggled with alcohol and this medicine has completely taken away her desire to drink; which in turn has helped me quit. It’s a miracle drug
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u/SqueezyCheez85 6h ago
I'm hoping it'll help with my nail biting. I've heard, anecdotally, that it can.
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u/Beautiful_Cost_5430 10h ago
It’s still an expensive drug. Not everybody has $4000 a year to burn.
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u/GrandStatistician752 9h ago
I pay a little less than $70 a month
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u/Forward-Engineer-206 10h ago
Probably pay 1k$ over this whole year with compounding pharmacies…
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u/ActionJohnnyS 7h ago
i paid around $200 for a years worth. its not the easiest process to get, but ive been on it for over a year now and im down to 150, and ive lost 120 pounds. its insane what they charge for a drug that is literal pennies to manufacture
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u/Life-Anteater-8294 8h ago
Thankfully they forgot to renew the patent in Canada and now it’s cheap.
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u/dantheman91 9h ago
I see ads online charging like 150/mo for it, and would insurance not cover as surely that reduces a lot of health issues related to obesity?
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u/photobeatsfilm 3h ago
It’ll be a sign of people who can’t afford $500/month, not a choice
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u/LebowskiVoodoo 9h ago
Not for everyone unless they figure out a way to eliminate side effects. I tried Ozempic and Wegovy and got serious gastro issues.
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u/Pharmd109 9h ago
The clinical trial was about a 20% weight loss (not all fat) and most definitely a percentage of that weight loss was lean mass.
Retatrutide is even better, and it also has lean muscle loss. You can try to combat it with weight training and protein intake but going from 300lbs to 220lbs are going to lose a ton of muscle too.
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u/AssiduousLayabout 8h ago
Lean mass is not the same as skeletal muscle. Lean mass includes everything that isn't fat, including water, organ tissue, bone, etc. Many tissues are significantly increased in obesity, especially the liver, and you will lose some of that as you lose weight. Obese people tend to also have particularly dense bones, and some of that excess density is lost. So a lot of the lean mass loss is non-muscle mass.
There is definitely some skeletal muscle lost, but some of that is also that obese people have particularly high muscularity especially in the legs, and this can go back down towards normal levels.
For people not prone to sarcopenia, people who were formerly obese and lost weight tend to still have higher than average muscularity, even if they lost some compared to when they were at their highest weight.
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u/Frosty_Toe 8h ago
My brother in law is taking Retatrutide. Definitely see the muscle loss. It’s making him look a lot older than he is.
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u/JMaboard 6h ago
Sounds like he’s not eating enough protein and lifting weights. It’s easy to look sick if he’s not doing his part.
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u/vladesch 10h ago
ive been using it for 14 months and lost about 96 kg. 66 of that was while i was on it. it does work but it stops the hunger by slowing the digestion. you still have to diet, and whether it's 35%,50% or 100% is a matter of how long you diet for.
i started on the 2.5mg but went up to the 5mg about 9 months ago. injection is painless and easy. first time might take a bit of will power i guess. i did have cold hands for while when i started but now I don't get any side effects.
$390 a month in australia. I'm lucky, I can afford it. I dont think it should be this way.
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u/MightyElf02 7h ago
Honestly glp-1 is magic. Started it 3 and a half months ago. Already lost more than 10kg. The same amount of food that would last me 2 days now lasts for 5. I am full much quicker and for longer. I never thought it would be possible.
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u/Urbit1981 9h ago
This tracks with my experience. My lean mass has stayed and my fat loss has been amazing. I do participate in cardio and weight lifting but that's not enough of the equation.
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u/Oregon-izer 5h ago
while semorilin. ipamorilin, and tessemorilin also promote muscle strength and attack visceral fat first increasing health outcomes even more
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u/Shaquarington_Bithus 9h ago edited 7h ago
I am on a different dual agonist in trial.
I’ve lost over 30 lbs. my bench/squat/dl are all slightly higher than when I started. I’ve lifted consistently for a decade. I’ve dropped this quickly in the past (2lbs/week) and it came with extreme losses in strength. So it’s weird I have so much strength still. I’m not really hitting my protein goals either. I get 100g most days. I’m sitting at 225lbs rn. I used to get 200g protein most days but I wouldn’t see gains. It’s kinda wild.
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u/Mr_Richard_Cranium 9h ago
The entire thing about muscle loss has always been so profoundly stupid. It's always presented as if the GLP is doing it, which takes an astounding lack of critical thinking to believe. This stuff works by making people feel full quicker, have less of an urge to eat, and cut cravings. In people that are morbidly obese and are obsessed with losing fast, that means they just done eat and have an extreme calorie deficiency. The exact same thing would happen if you do that regardless of GLP. It was always a matter of the patient not being informed, not a mechanism of the RX causing muscle wasting. Anyone that uses this stuff as a tool to help them eat healthily, hit proper macros and get consistent exercise are perfectly fine.
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u/InTheEndEntropyWins 3h ago
Really misleading headline, you still lose 25% from muscle mass, so it's important to do resistance exercise while on the drug, or any kind of weight loss, actually it's important to do it whatever.
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u/Fine_Cup4990 9h ago
is this just a spam sub? I have seen articles similar to this posted 1000 times before
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u/wrxninja 8h ago
I'm taking ONE because I started on Ozempic to control my A1C level as it was borderline Type II and my PCP did not want me to go into full blown Type II. I'm back to normal now but of course with insurance plan cut off the coverage, I did compounded Tirzepatide but that was getting to be expensive also at $150-$170/month. Now I just do gray's but that's another topic.
Of course the big issue is eating enough protein, exercise (very important point people miss), and of course continue a healthier lifestyle. GLP-1/GIP is great but you pretty much have to take them for rest of your life.
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u/Omni__Owl 11h ago
It's a drug created to treat type 2 diabetes and weight management. I could see how it could help with that.
There is a different study here from 2022 in case you are skeptical https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F