Causes of sarcopenia and frailty in people taking GLP1RAs

US Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration & Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). Obesity and overweight: developing drugs and biological products for weight reduction guidance for industry. FDA https://www.fda.gov/media/71252/download (2025).

Tinsley, G. M. & Heymsfield, S. B. Fundamental body composition principles provide context for fat-free and skeletal muscle loss with GLP-1 RA treatments. J. Endocr. Soc. 8, bvae164 (2024).

Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Langer, H. T. et al. Weight loss with GLP-1 medicines does not result in a disproportionate loss of muscle mass or function in obese mice and humans. Cell Rep. Med. 7, 102665 (2026).

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Heymsfield, S. B. et al. Bimagrumab plus semaglutide alone or in combination for the treatment of obesity: a randomized phase 2 trial. Nat. Med. 32, 869–882 (2026).

Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Kochlik, B. et al. Frailty is characterized by biomarker patterns reflecting inflammation or muscle catabolism in multi-morbid patients. J. Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 14, 157–166 (2023).

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Crow, R. S. et al. Reported weight change in older adults and presence of frailty. J. Frailty Aging 9, 74–81 (2020).

Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Winter, J. E., MacInnis, R. J., Wattanapenpaiboon, N. & Nowson, C. A. BMI and all-cause mortality in older adults: a meta-analysis. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 99, 875–890 (2014).

Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Prokopidis, K. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and muscle strength changes in older adults: risks beyond muscle mass reductions. Br. J. Pharmacol. https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.70355 (2026).

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Suetta, C. et al. Ageing is associated with diminished muscle re-growth and myogenic precursor cell expansion early after immobility-induced atrophy in human skeletal muscle. J. Physiol. 591, 3789–3804 (2013).

Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Goodpaster, B. H. et al. The loss of skeletal muscle strength, mass, and quality in older adults: the health, aging and body composition study. J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 61, 1059–1064 (2006).

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

West, S. et al. Weight regain after cessation of medication for weight management: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 392, e085304 (2026).

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Comments (0)

No login
gif