Home / Health / New Drugs May Stop Muscle Loss During Weight Loss
New Drugs May Stop Muscle Loss During Weight Loss
19 Dec, 2025
Summary
- New medications aim to prevent muscle loss during weight reduction.
- Muscle loss negatively impacts health, metabolism, and strength.
- Existing strategies include protein intake and weightlifting.
Researchers are actively developing new medications intended to mitigate muscle loss, a common side effect of significant weight reduction. Up to 40 percent of weight lost through certain medications can be muscle, impacting metabolism, strength, and balance. This loss can lead to frailty and a higher risk of falls, especially as people age. Therefore, preserving muscle mass is critical for long-term health and metabolic function.
Two experimental drugs are currently in clinical trials. One, ATR-258, an oral agonist, has shown promise in animal studies for improving blood sugar without muscle loss and is well-tolerated in initial human trials. The other, bimagrumab, a monoclonal antibody, aims to prevent excessive muscle depletion in those taking weight loss drugs, though one study was halted, another remains active.
These groundbreaking medications are still a considerable time away from public availability. For the present, healthcare professionals continue to recommend consistent protein intake and regular strength training as the most effective methods for maintaining muscle mass throughout a weight loss journey. Ongoing research is crucial to bring these potential muscle-preserving treatments to fruition.
