Many people use weight-loss medicines to improve their health, especially if they have obesity or type 2 diabetes.
One of the most popular medicines is semaglutide, which helps people eat less by making them feel full for longer and slowing the movement of food through the stomach. While this medicine can help people lose a large amount of weight, doctors are also paying close attention to another important issue: the loss of healthy muscle.
Muscle is much more than something that helps us move. It helps the body control blood sugar, keeps bones strong, supports balance, and makes everyday activities easier. As people get older, keeping enough muscle becomes even more important because losing too much muscle can increase the risk of weakness, falls, and poor health.
A new study suggests that some people taking semaglutide may lose more muscle than others during weight loss. The findings were presented at ENDO 2025, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in San Francisco.
The research was led by Dr. Melanie Haines from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Her team wanted to understand which people are most likely to lose muscle while taking semaglutide and whether diet could make a difference.
The researchers followed 40 adults with obesity for three months. Twenty-three people were treated with semaglutide, while the other 17 joined a healthy lifestyle program called Healthy Habits for Life, which focused on better eating habits and lifestyle changes.
The study found that people taking semaglutide lost more total weight than those in the lifestyle program. However, in both groups, around 40% of the weight that disappeared came from lean body mass, which includes muscle. This shows that muscle loss is a common part of weight loss, no matter how the weight is lost.
The researchers also discovered that some people were more likely to lose muscle than others. Older adults, women, and people who ate less protein experienced greater muscle loss while taking semaglutide. Those who lost more muscle also showed smaller improvements in HbA1c, a blood test that reflects average blood sugar levels over the previous few months.
These results matter because semaglutide is widely used not only for weight loss but also to help manage type 2 diabetes. If too much muscle is lost, some of the medicine’s benefits for blood sugar control could be reduced. Protecting muscle may help people enjoy the health benefits of weight loss while avoiding some unwanted effects.
The researchers believe that eating enough protein may help reduce muscle loss during treatment. Although this study cannot prove that protein is the answer, it suggests that good nutrition could play an important role. Regular strength exercise may also be useful, although more studies are needed to confirm the best approach.
Dr. Haines said future research should focus on finding the safest and most effective ways for people to lose body fat while keeping their muscles healthy. This may be especially important for women and older adults, who appeared to face the greatest risk in this study. The research was presented at ENDO 2025 and has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
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