291. The GLP-1 Side Effect Nobody Warns You About

You might think the win on a GLP-1 like Ozempic or Mounjaro is the number dropping on your scale, but I need you to ask a better question, not how much you're losing, but what kind. In some studies, 40 to 60% of the weight people lost on these drugs came from lean muscle, not fat, and that's a metabolic loss that costs you your strength and your ability to keep the weight off. These are the most powerful fat-loss tools we've ever had, but a tool without a protocol is just potential. Hit your protein and lift, or you're trading muscle for a number you'll spend years trying to earn back. CLICK HERE TO BECOME GARYS VIP!: https://bit.ly/4ai0Xwg Thank you to our partners A-GAME: “ULTIMATE15” FOR 15% OFF: http://bit.ly/4kek1ij AION: “ULTIMATE10” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4h6KHAD AIRES: "ULTIMATE20 " FOR 20% OFF: https://bit.ly/4a3Duze BAJA GOLD: "ULTIMATE10" FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/3WSBqUa BODYHEALTH: “ULTIMATE20” FOR 20% OFF: http://bit.ly/4e5IjsV COLD LIFE: THE ULTIMATE HUMAN PLUNGE: https://bit.ly/4eULUKpCYMBIOTIKA: "BRECKACYM30" FOR 30% OFF: https://bit.ly/4tjyluP GENETIC METHYLATION TEST (UK ONLY): https://bit.ly/48QJJrk GENETIC TEST (USA ONLY): ⁠https://bit.ly/3Yg1Uk9 GOPUFF: GET YOUR FAVORITE SNACK!: https://bit.ly/4obIFDC H2TABS: “ULTIMATE10” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4hMNdgg HEALF: 10% OFF YOUR ORDER: https://bit.ly/41HJg6S PEPTUAL: “TUH10” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4mKxgcn SNOOZE: LET’S GET TO SLEEP!: https://bit.ly/4pt1T6V WHOOP: JOIN & GET 1 FREE MONTH!: https://bit.ly/3VQ0nzW Watch the “Ultimate Human Podcast” every Tuesday & Thursday at 9AM EST: YouTube: https://bit.ly/3RPQYX8 Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RQftU0 Connect with Gary Brecka Instagram: https://bit.ly/3RPpnFs TikTok: https://bit.ly/4coJ8fo X: https://bit.ly/3Opc8tf Facebook: https://bit.ly/464VA1H LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4hH7Ri2 Website: https://bit.ly/4eLDbdU Merch: https://bit.ly/4aBpOM1 Newsletter: https://bit.ly/47ejrws Ask Gary: https://bit.ly/3PEAJuG Timestamps 00:00 - Intro of Show 00:22 - Weight loss vs fat loss 00:38 - What GLP-1 does in the body 01:02 - Semaglutide: the first generation 01:28 - Tirzepatide and the dual agonist 01:45 - Retatrutide and 24.2% body weight loss 02:20 - Why each added receptor works 02:38 - The hidden cost: protecting lean muscle 03:05 - 60% of weight loss from muscle 03:35 - The two-part fix: protein and training 04:05 - Protein targets and leucine-rich sources 04:30 - Resistance training and compound lifts 05:00 - Use the medication, do the work Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice. It is not intended for diagnosing or treating any health condition. Always consult a licensed healthcare professional before making health or wellness decisions. Gary Brecka is the owner of Ultimate Human, LLC which operates The Ultimate Human podcast and promotes certain third-party products used by Gary Brecka in his personal health and wellness protocols and daily life and for which Ultimate Human LLC and / or Gary Brecka directly or indirectly holds an economic interest or receives compensation. Accordingly, statements made by Gary Brecka and others (including on The Ultimate Human podcast) may be considered promotional in nature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

• 0:00Speaker 00

  You've heard of Ozempic, you've probably heard of Manjaro. Maybe you've even heard people call these medications game changers, and they are. People were losing 10, 12, 15% of their body weight in a clinical trial. That was unprecedented for a medication. These are the most powerful weight loss medications ever developed. And that power comes with a responsibility that most people are not being told about at the prescriber's office. Today, we're talking about GLP-1 medications specifically. How we got here, why the newest generation is unlike anything we've ever seen, and the two things every single person on these drugs needs to be doing that most prescribers are not even mentioning. In some studies, reductions in lean mass accounted for 40 to 60% of the total weight lost. That is not a weight loss win.

• 0:43Speaker 00

  That is a metabolic loss that will affect your resting energy expenditure, your strength, your functional health, and your ability to keep the weight off long term. If you're on a GLP-1 medication right now, and you're not lifting, and you're not prioritizing protein, you are losing lean muscle, and you will spend years trying to rebuild it back. This is a complete non-negotiable part if you are on GLP-1s.

• 1:17Speaker 00

  You've heard of Ozempic, you've probably heard of Manjaro. Maybe you've even heard people call these medications game changers, and they are. But the conversation almost always stops at one number. How much weight did you lose? And almost nobody is asking the more important question. What kind of weight? Because here's the truth. Losing weight and losing fat are not the same thing. And if you're on one of those medications without doing two specific things, you might be trading muscle for a number on the scale. And that trade will cost you for years. I'm biohacker and human biologist Gary Brecka, and you're listening to the Ultimate Human Podcast, where we dig into the real science behind longevity and disease prevention. Today, we're talking about GLP-1 medications specifically. How we got here, why the newest generation is unlike anything we've ever seen,

• 2:02Speaker 00

  and the two things every single person on these drugs needs to be doing that most prescribers are not even mentioning. Let's start with the history, because it matters. GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide 1, a hormone your gut actually releases after you eat that signals your brain to reduce appetite, slows digestion, and helps regulate blood sugar. About two decades ago, researchers figured out how to mimic that signal pharmacologically. The first generation of these drugs, semaglutide, sold as Ozempic and Wegovy, targeted the GLP-1 receptor alone. A single agonist, one signal, and the results were significant. People were losing 10, 12, 15% of their body weight in a clinical trial. That was unprecedented for a medication.

• 2:45Speaker 00

  Then came tirzepatide, Manjaro, Zepbound. This was a dual agonist. It targeted GLP-1 and a second receptor called GIP, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide. Two signals instead of one. The metabolic effect was stronger. Weight loss numbers climbed. And then came retitratide, which is a triple agonist. GLP-1, GIP, and now a third, the glucagon receptor. A 2024 review published in Endocrinology and Metabolism traced this full arc and reported that the Phase II clinical trial for retitratide at 12mg produced 24.2% mean body weight loss at 48 weeks.

• 3:28Speaker 00

  That is the highest number ever published for a pharmacological obesity treatment ever. And it's not even fully approved yet. It's still in Phase III trials. So this is where the science really gets going. Each generation added a receptor. Each time, the results got stronger. That's not coincidence. That's biology responding to a more complete signal. But here's where I need you to pay attention very, very closely. The more powerful the weight loss signal, the more critical it becomes to protect what you're losing. Because these medications suppress your appetite very aggressively. They slow your stomach. They quiet hunger in a way that feels like a solution, and it is for fat loss. But that same appetite suppression applies to protein, the building blocks your body desperately needs to maintain lean muscle mass.

• 4:12Speaker 00

  A 2024 review published in Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism examined lean body mass changes across GLP-1 clinical trials and found that in some studies, reductions in lean mass accounted for 40 to 60% of the total weight lost. Let me say that again. 60% of the weight loss was from muscle-dense tissue. That is not a weight loss win. That is a metabolic loss that will affect your resting energy expenditure, your strength, your functional health, and your ability to keep the weight off long term. So yes, these are the most powerful weight loss medications ever developed. And that power comes with a responsibility that most people are not being told about at the prescriber's office. The fix is not complicated, but it's non-negotiable.

• 4:55Speaker 00

  The same review from Mount Sinai and Harvard was direct. All patients on these medications should be in comprehensive programs that emphasize two things. Adequate, high-quality protein intake and resistance training. Not cardio, not general activity. Resistance training specifically, because it sends the signal your body needs to hold on to that valuable muscle while it's shedding fat. So for protein, your goal is 0.7 to 1 gram per pound of body weight daily, even when you're not hungry, especially when you're not hungry. GLP-1s will suppress your appetite across the entire spectrum. So you have to be intentional about hitting your protein targets. Prioritize leucine-rich sources. Meat, eggs, even dairy. My preference is raw dairy.

• 5:40Speaker 00

  They are the most direct drivers of muscle protein synthesis. Resistance training, at least three sessions per week, incorporating compound movements, squats, deadlifts, rows, presses. This is a complete non-negotiable part if you are on GLP-1s. You are sending a biological signal to your body that this muscle is being used and it needs to be retained. If you're interested in learning more about GLP-1s and metabolic health, watch this episode we filmed with Dr. Tina Moore. She's an expert in metabolic health with years and years of experience. She covers everything related to GLP-1s, including insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. It's a great episode, and I highly recommend you check it out. As we close up here today, remember, weight loss medications

• 6:23Speaker 00

  do not know the difference between fat and muscle. Your training and your protein intake are what tell it to keep the muscle. These drugs are tools. In fact, the most powerful tools we've ever had for fat loss. But a tool without a protocol is just potential. If you're on a GLP-1 medication right now, and you're not lifting, and you're not prioritizing protein, you are losing lean muscle, and you will spend years trying to rebuild it back. Use the medication, do the work. That's the complete protocol, and that's just science.