What originated as a promising software to deal with diabetes, Ozempic was shortly picked up by Hollywood and now sits as the brand new miracle fats loss drug. After all, there have been loads of different miracle medicine and diets previously, however this one is totally different. It appears to truly be very efficient—like actually, actually efficient—presumably too efficient.
Like a dream, these medicine let you give your self a small injection as soon as every week, and you then cease consuming! Sounds easy, and it’s, as these weekly injections have been confirmed to end in a huge quantity of weight reduction. Nevertheless, as a result of excessive loss, individuals have began shedding a ton of muscle as nicely.
The muscle loss is so unhealthy that it ends in changing into “skinny fats” or having saggy pores and skin. This impact is so pronounced that it has even given beginning to names like “Ozempic face” or “Ozempic butt.”
We’re uncertain who got here up with these names, however they do not sound good. Happily, we do know how one can mitigate, if not utterly remove them from growing in your physique.
Earlier than we go any additional, we have to make a disclaimer. We’re not certified medical doctors and are under no circumstances suggesting anybody use these medicine. We’re merely giving recommendation primarily based on the present info on the best way to greatest cope with muscle loss if you are taking it.
Nonetheless, it is necessary to know that these medicine are new, and there are solely a handful of research on them, so we’re making our greatest guess. That mentioned, all the time search skilled medical therapy earlier than you search therapy.
***In the event you’re studying this, I am assuming you’re pretty acquainted with Ozempic and Wegovy. That being mentioned, the following couple of sections are a fairly fast learn and provides some nice info. In the event you’re solely involved with stopping muscle loss, scroll right down to the second to final part.***
What Is Ozempic And Wegovy?
Let’s begin initially by explaining what these medicine even are. Fortunately, we needn’t go too far again, as Ozempic has solely been authorized since 2017 and Wegovy since June 2021. So what are they?
Ozempic and Wegovy are each sorts of semaglutide remedy however are authorized for various makes use of; Ozempic is used to deal with diabetes, and Wegovy is used for weight reduction.
Nevertheless, their major distinction is actually simply the dosing and supply system, with Wegovy utilizing greater doses and single-use pens whereas Ozempic makes use of decrease doses and multiple-use pens. Aside from that, it is principally the identical remedy, and each have been used for weight reduction.
So what’s Semaglutide?
Semaglutide mimics the results of Glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1. GLP-1 is a robust peptide that is launched in your physique as a response to consuming as a result of it alerts the discharge of insulin. As we all know, insulin acts to decrease an individual’s blood sugar, and that is what initially made it engaging to researchers for treating diabetes.
On the identical time, it decreases the quantity of glucagon launched and slows gastric emptying. Nonetheless, it additionally acts on components of the mind that lower urge for food and hold you feeling full. Briefly, you simply do not eat as a lot! And since individuals taking these medicine do not eat, they drop pounds—plenty of weight!
One of many scientific trials for Ozempic was finished in 2021 and confirmed very promising outcomes. In it, 2,000 overweight adults obtained a semaglutide therapy alongside a routine of weight-reduction plan and train. Their weight reduction was then in contrast with those that merely adopted way of life adjustments however with out semaglutide.
After 68 weeks, half of the contributors utilizing semaglutide misplaced 15% of their physique weight, whereas practically a 3rd misplaced 20%! Conversely, contributors who relied solely on way of life adjustments noticed a lack of simply 2.4%!¹ So yea, that is what all of the hype is about!
Ozempic, Wegovy, And Muscle Loss?
In the event you suppose that is too good to be true, nicely, you are unsuitable! It is very true. Nevertheless, weight reduction this loopy would not come with out dangers, and this is true for Ozempic and Wegovy as nicely.
We’re not going to deal with all the potential negative effects on this article however there’s one we have to speak about. Muscle loss. Researchers have discovered that muscle mass truly accounts for a big share of weight reduction.
Now, some muscle loss could also be anticipated throughout weight reduction if the person is not figuring out or following precautions (we’ll get to this later). However placing all that apart, individuals have been nonetheless shedding a a lot greater share of muscle than anticipated.
A number of research have proven that muscle loss accounts for round 40% of an individual’s whole weight reduction. For instance, keep in mind the scientific trial above? Effectively, on common, the contributors misplaced 30 kilos of weight. Superior! Nevertheless, this consisted of 12 kilos of muscle. Not superior.
One other examine from 2020 confirmed that 12.5 kilos of whole weight reduction consisted of 5 kilos of lean muscle.² Once more, not superior.
Below regular circumstances, researchers would count on the entire weight reduction to be simply 20% of muscle. Be mindful this quantity is for the typical affected person who is not lifting weights, as even 20% is lots! Regardless, this implies individuals are shedding twice as a lot muscle as they need to!
These numbers are just like these of somebody who had gastric bypass surgical procedure, so what is going on on?
Why Are Individuals Dropping Muscle On Ozempic And Wegovy?
In the event you have been to do a Google search, you will see a number of headlines comparable to “The Race To Cease Ozempic Muscle Loss” or “Ozempic Makes You Lose Extra Than Fats”.
These headlines can recommend some underlying mechanism by which the drug causes your muscle tissue to waste away. Like possibly it will increase cortisol or promotes catabolic exercise.
Nevertheless, this isn’t so, and the reply is kind of easy. Earlier than we go additional, we once more need to make clear that there’s nonetheless plenty of info missing, so what we’re about to say is predicated on present info.
That mentioned, the muscle loss from taking Ozempic or Wegovy is just as a result of excessive caloric deficit from not consuming. That is it. This is not something new as we all know you threat muscle loss when shedding an excessive amount of weight too quick. Due to this fact, in a manner, it is excellent news as we are able to simply mitigate this!
If you wish to see some outcomes of taking semaglutide, try these males’s and girls’s earlier than and after photos.
How To Forestall Muscle Loss From Ozempic Or Wegovy
When stopping muscle loss from Ozempic or Wegovy, you’ll merely observe the identical protocol as any weight reduction plan together with taking some particular precautions.
Step one is to extend your protein consumption. Growing protein consumption has been proven to be a really highly effective software for sustaining muscle mass throughout weight reduction; in actual fact, different research recommend you might even achieve!
Protein’s muscle-preserving capacity comes from the truth that it supplies an extra of amino acids. Below regular circumstances, your physique will draw out of your fats shops and glycogen. Nevertheless, throughout a caloric deficit, your physique might break down your muscle tissue to entry the amino acids. That is as a result of our physique can convert amino acids into glucose or ketones for power!
Due to this fact, by taking additional protein, you are principally supplying additional amino acids for power, which mitigates the necessity to your physique to interrupt down the muscle. Due to this fact, take a minimum of 2 grams per kilogram of physique weight (2 grams per 2.2 lbs of physique weight).
The following factor you may have to do is raise weights! However you may’t simply randomly throw across the barbell; you have to observe a correct progressive coaching program. You could not be capable of progress a lot as you may possible be in a comparatively massive caloric deficit.
Nevertheless, you continue to want to coach with that very same mindset and depth. Doing so will promote an anabolic surroundings and stimulate muscle protein synthesis.
Now, this does not have to be an excessively sophisticated program. Consider huge, compact actions and hit each muscle group two instances every week, ideally within the 4-8 rep vary.
With our easy, confirmed, and easy-to-manage coaching, weight-reduction plan, and monitoring methods, you may not solely obtain a lean, sculpted physique but additionally end up in tip-top form…
Your final job is attending to mattress early! Sleep is well one of the best restoration software and actually promotes an anabolic surroundings. Merely put, whenever you’re in a caloric deficit and lack sleep, your physique will break down a better share of muscle mass than when you get an sufficient quantity.
Examine this examine out. A group of middle-aged adults have been positioned on an analogous weight-reduction plan with a caloric deficit for 14 days. Every thing else was just about the identical besides one factor, their sleep. A traditional sleep group aimed to get 8 hours an evening whereas a sleep deprivation group acquired 5.5 hours.
On the finish of the examine, each teams skilled a mean weight lack of 3kg. Nevertheless, what differed was the place this weight got here from. The sleep deprivation group noticed 60% larger muscle loss and 55% decrease fats loss; that huge of a distinction from lacking 2.5 hours of sleep!³
As these medicine are much more excessive with their caloric deficit, you must get your sleep when taking Ozempic or Wegovy!
Particular Issues To Mitigate Muscle Loss From Ozempic
Along with the above three pointers, you may additionally do a number of different issues to forestall muscle loss. Regardless that Wegovy and Ozempic are very highly effective medicine, that does not imply you must use all of their energy! In the event you’re involved about your physique composition, there are two issues you are able to do.
The primary is to stay with smaller doses. Each medicine start dosing at 0.25mg every week after which go up from there. Once more, we’ll say this once more, we’re not medical doctors so we’re not prescribing what dose to take.
Nevertheless, evidently when you’re already seeing a 1,500 caloric deficit, why would you are taking extra and proceed this drastic drop?
Now we do know that some individuals who take this have extreme weight problems, and drastic weight reduction could also be a greater possibility for well being considerations. Due to this fact, carry this up along with your physician. If you’re nervous about muscle loss, ask if you must take such a excessive dose.
Secondly, monitor your calorie consumption and pay shut consideration to your protein. This medication will suppress your urge for food, so that you have to be extra proactive about getting your energy in. Clearly, this can be simpler when you heed the earlier recommendation about utilizing smaller doses.
The underside line is that when you’re taking Ozempic and Wegovy, it’s best to observe the identical pointers each time you are shedding weight. As of now, evidently the mechanism by which they work is lowering your caloric consumption so we must always fight muscle loss simply as with every weight-reduction plan; Gymnasium. Protein. Sleep.
References
Wilding, John P. H., et al. “As soon as-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Obese or Weight problems.” The New England Journal of Drugs, vol. 384, no. 11, 10 Feb. 2021, pp. 989–1002, www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183,
McCrimmon, Rory J., et al. “Results of As soon as-Weekly Semaglutide vs As soon as-Day by day Canagliflozin on Physique Composition in Kind 2 Diabetes: A Substudy of the SUSTAIN 8 Randomised Managed Medical Trial.” Diabetologia, vol. 63, no. 3, 2 Jan. 2020, pp. 473–485,
Nedeltcheva, Arlet V., et al. “Inadequate Sleep Undermines Dietary Efforts to Cut back Adiposity.” Annals of Inner Drugs, vol. 153, no. 7, 5 Oct. 2010, p. 435, annals.org/goal/article-abstract/746184/insufficient-sleep-undermines-dietary-efforts-reduce-adiposity,
