On weight loss drugs, my patient had cramps and fatigue: Here are 5 ways to deal with muscle loss

Mr Kumar, 42, had been taking the weight loss drug semaglutide for some time because his blood sugar level had been spiralling out of control while his body weight stood stubbornly at 98 kg, a weight cliff from which he couldn't get off.

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No amount of exercise and diet was helping him. But although his weight started dipping, he exhibited signs of muscle loss. He had cramps, lost balance, muscle twitches, all signs that his core muscle mass was beginning to get wasted.Muscle loss is common among those on GLP-1 receptor agonists — like semaglutide or liraglutide — which mimic gut hormones to regulate blood sugar and hunger pangs, thereby reducing calorie intake and body weight. But along with fat loss, some individuals also lose lean body mass, which includes muscle. That's something we need to watch carefully.

Why is muscle loss a problem? Isn't any weight loss good?