Advantages of Skeletal Muscle Preservation in Settings of Weight Loss

There has been a dramatic increase in the use of GLP1R agonists and related "incretins" to treat individuals diagnosed with obesity. However, it has only been recently highlighted that, in addition to the desired loss of adiposity, these medicines also cause a loss of skeletal muscle. It has been debated whether this loss is an issue. Here the consequences of that loss are discussed, and the population most at risk is highlighted. Also, it is pointed out that there are metabolic benefits to maintaining skeletal muscle mass-including a heightened and desirable further loss of adiposity.