Weight loss drugs may not completely reshape users in the way they think
Weight loss jabs can be precribed through the NHS for qualifying patients(Image: Getty)
Weight loss medications have transformed how people approach body changes, opening up new possibilities for millions. Yet recent research has revealed that users might be missing out in one crucial aspect following their weight loss – and experts are recommending a straightforward adjustment to their daily habits.
According to findings in the Sports Medicine journal, scientists discovered that whilst GLP-1 RA medications can effectively reduce weight, they contribute very little towards enhancing physical fitness or movement capability. Consequently, certain people may be dropping pounds yet still finding everyday activities like walking or ascending stairs challenging.
The research demonstrated that adding regular physical activity whilst undergoing medicated weight loss delivered numerous health advantages. These included enhanced physical function, improved mobility and stronger cardiorespiratory systems.
The researchers stated: “One year of weight maintenance with exercise and GLP-1RA combined significantly improved physical functional performance and cardiorespiratory fitness.
“The benefits were driven by exercise, and GLP-1RA alone did not improve these physical fitness constructs. Absolute muscle strength was preserved after GLP-1RA treatments alone and combined with exercise despite weight reduction.”
Those taking part in the research followed a structured fitness programme aligned with World Health Organisation physical activity guidelines, completing approximately 108 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise weekly over 12 months.
Participants were divided into three categories: a combined treatment group receiving weight loss medication alongside exercise, those exercising with a placebo drug, and those taking weight loss medication without any physical activity.
Approximately 85% of participants completed the full 52-week programme. Researchers discovered that weight loss treatment didn’t discourage exercise participation, according to News Medical.
Those in the combined group shed more pounds than participants who exercised alone. They also found demanding daily activities such as carrying shopping, walking, bending or kneeling, and getting dressed considerably easier.
By the study’s end, the combined group performed “significantly faster” during the stair-climb test compared to both other groups. Their cardiorespiratory fitness improved by roughly 10%.
Even modest increases in physical activity, such as progressing from sedentary behaviour to some vigorous exercise, could prove beneficial for physical fitness and body composition, researchers determined. Every additional 10 minutes of weekly exercise was similarly associated with improved stair-climb performance and enhanced cardiorespiratory function.
The scientists also found that muscle strength remained consistent across all groups, suggesting that weight loss medications might not trigger a reduction in absolute strength even without structured exercise programmes. In the end, researchers determined that slimming medication by itself produced no impact on physical fitness levels.
They observed: “Despite significant weight loss, pharmacotherapy alone was insufficient to improve physical fitness beyond what was initially achieved through diet-induced weight loss.”
