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The Guardian World1 min read
New drug to stop 'Ozempic butt' muscle loss side effect of obesity jabs
TL;DR
A new drug, apitegromab, may prevent muscle loss associated with obesity medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. Research shows it helps maintain muscle while losing fat.
Key points
- A new drug called apitegromab could help prevent muscle loss.
- Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are GLP-1 obesity medications.
- About a third of weight loss from these drugs can be muscle.
- Apitegromab was tested on 102 adults, mostly women.
- More evaluation studies are needed before recommendations.
apitegromabOzempicWegovyMounjaro
A new drug called apitegromab could help people on obesity jabs avoid unwanted muscle decline that's been linked to flat bums or "Ozempic butt", according to research in Nature Medicine journal.
Around a third of the weight loss from GLP-1 obesity jabs like Wegovy and Mounjaro can come from muscle rather than fat, the US research suggests.
But in the trial with 102 adults, mostly women, those who took apitegromab with their obesity medication maintained more muscle while still losing fat, body scans showed.
Experts say more evaluation studies are needed though, before recommending it.
People on GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro may experience exaggerated loss of fat, muscle and tissue volume as weight quickly drops.
It is thought to be the result of rapid slimming, rather than the medication itself.
Obesity jabs curb appetite and make you feel fuller for longer, so you eat much less and shed weight.
Unlike fat, it is harder to put muscle back on quickly.
While not a medical diagnosis, some users complain of how their body shape changes, including a deflated or saggy bum, dubbed Ozempic butt.
US plastic surgeons say they are seeing a "noticeable uptick" in consultations about it.
People on GLP-1s are already advised to eat healthily and do exercise, including strength training, for their muscles.
GLP-1 drugs are not meant for a short-term or cosmetic weight loss, and health experts strongly advise against using them as a quick-fix to get "beach body" ready, although it is clear people do misuse them.
Currently, apitegromab is only available for use in clinical trials and must be given into a vein as an infusion.
The company that makes it, which funded the work, is investigating whether people could self-inject it using a special injection pen - just like GLP-1 jabs.
Apitegromab works by blocking a protein involved in the breakdown of muscle and is also being explored as a treatment for other medical conditions affecting muscles, including spinal muscular atrophy.
In the obesity trial, which ran for six months and used the weight-loss drug Mounjaro, people who also received apitegromab kept around 1.9kg or 55% more muscle, or 'lean mass'.
Q&A
What is apitegromab and how does it work?
Apitegromab is a new drug designed to help individuals on obesity medications maintain muscle mass while losing fat.
What is 'Ozempic butt' and why does it occur?
'Ozempic butt' refers to muscle loss and changes in body shape experienced by some users of GLP-1 obesity drugs, resulting from rapid weight loss.
What were the results of the trial involving apitegromab?
In a trial with 102 adults, those taking apitegromab alongside their obesity medication maintained more muscle mass while losing fat.
What are GLP-1 obesity medications and their side effects?
GLP-1 obesity medications, like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, can lead to significant weight loss but may also cause unwanted muscle and tissue loss.
