As GLP-1 weight-loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have become more accessible in India, integrative lifestyle expert Luke Coutinho has shared an important message for people using these drugs.

In an Instagram post, Coutinho says many people celebrate losing several kilograms without asking an important question: What exactly did they lose?

"Everyone is celebrating that they have lost 8 kg, but no one is asking how much muscle mass, bone or visceral fat they lost or what happened to their metabolic health," he says, adding that weight loss and health gain are not the same thing.

He clarifies that GLP-1 medications can be life-changing for the right person and have helped many people lose weight. However, he said the problem begins when people are treating them like magic. He said some practitioners are prescribing them without first building the foundations of good health.

In the caption of his post, Coutinho says that his message was not meant to discourage people from using GLP-1 medications.

He says his team has worked with people using these medicines for years, even before they became available in India, and has seen good results when they are prescribed to the right person and combined with proper nutrition, exercise and other healthy habits.

According to Coutinho, people who lose weight quickly may lose not only fat but also muscle, strength, bone mass and functional capacity, especially if they do not eat enough protein or include resistance training in their routine.

Coutinho advises everyone using GLP-1 medications to get a DEXA scan, describing it as a simple, low-dose X-ray that measures body composition rather than just body weight.

He says the scan can provide information on your body fat, lean muscle mass, visceral fat, bone mineral density, osteopenia risk and osteoporosis risk. "It shows you what is your body is actually made of and not just what it weighs," he adds.

He also points out that a weighing scale cannot tell whether the weight lost comes from fat, muscle, bone or water. A baseline DEXA scan, he says, can help patients and doctors monitor whether the weight loss is happening in a healthy way.

Coutinho adds that GLP-1 can help you lose weight but cannot help you build muscle, improve your sleep, fix your gut, reduce chronic stress, improve your relationships, give you purpose and build healthy habits.

"Only lifestyle with the right foundations can do that," he says, adding that weight loss should never come at the expense of muscle and bone.



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