Doctor shares the key assessment to get before starting a GLP-1 medication
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Some experts believe that anyone can benefit from GLP-1 drugs as popular medications become more widely available and accessible.
But others warn that the decision to take diabetes and weight-loss medications should be based on health history and potential risks. So how do you know if you’re a good candidate?
Obesity medicine specialist Dr., author of the new book “Weightless”. Rocio Salas-Whalen shared in an interview with Fox News Digital that the best way to determine GLP-1 eligibility is through body composition testing.
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Most people associate success with the number on the scale, but that doesn’t tell you what’s going on with your health, according to the New York City-based expert.
“Maybe you were losing muscle, maybe you were losing water, maybe you were losing some fat,” he said. “Losing weight on the scale doesn’t mean being healthy. It’s more about body composition.”
One expert said the number on the scale cannot explain the structure of muscle and fat in the body. (iStock)
Body composition machines are often found in doctors’ offices and even some gyms. The technology scans the body to measure the following three health indicators.
- skeletal muscle mass
- body fat percentage
- visceral fat
According to Salas-Whalen, these measurements can identify what’s inside your body that’s making you sick or keeping you healthy.
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“I do body composition for everyone who walks through the door,” she said. “I want to see your visceral fat, which is the fat that surrounds your internal organs. This is the pro-inflammatory fat that increases insulin resistance. [and] hyperinsulinemia (the condition of having more insulin in the blood than the body needs).”
Body composition scans look for three indicators of health: skeletal muscle mass, body fat percentage, and visceral fat. (iStock)
“And I also want to see your body fat percentage, meaning what percent of your weight is fat.”
According to Salas-Whalen, this percentage should be 28% or less for women and 20% or less for men.
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Skeletal muscle mass is another important marker for health, which includes muscle built through diet and exercise.
“Muscle is an anti-inflammatory organ,” the expert said. “It also reduces insulin resistance… [and] It consumes 80% of your glucose.”
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Salas-Whalen said the goal of weight loss is not just to lose weight, but also to re-composition the body. For this reason, he warned that GLP-1s should not be distributed to anyone and especially should not be purchased online without the guidance of a medical professional.
Skeletal muscle mass is an important marker of health, which includes muscle built through diet and exercise. (iStock)
“If you have good body composition, you can be assured that you will reap all the benefits that someone who uses GLP-1 can get,” he said. “It’s not safe to use a medicine you don’t need.”
Once body composition is assessed, it’s important to “know your numbers” because the results can be surprising, Salas-Whalen said.
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“Every patient’s journey will be different,” he said. “But I can tell you that most people need it rather than need it…in fact, many more people would benefit from GLP-1 rather than not.”
The World Health Organization conditionally recommends the long-term use of GLP-1 and related treatments (liraglutide, semaglutide, tirzepatide, etc.) in the treatment of adults living with obesity (BMI 30 or above) as part of obesity care. It does not approve these as general-use medications for everyone, regardless of health status.
