New Weight Loss Pill Can Burn Fat Without Muscle Loss – Muscle & Fitness

GLP-1-like treatments like Ozempic and Mounjaro work wonders when it comes to helping people lose unwanted body fat, but Research shows that lean body mass could also decrease thanks to GLP-1, which in some cases leads to a decrease in skeletal muscle by almost 40%. That’s why news of a new drug that can burn fat while preserving muscle could be a game changer, and even complement existing treatments.

Encouraging results from a study of the new drug, technically known as a “GRK-biased adrenergic agonist,” are extremely promising. Firstly, it is available as an oral pill, which means no annoying needles are required, and secondly, this drug does not work at the starvation level. GRK-targeted drugs increase metabolic activity in the muscles rather than encouraging loss of appetite.

What do we know so far about Compound 15?

Results of an important study resulting from work by the Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, both in Sweden, have recently been published in the Celpers magazineand stem from a major Phase I clinical trial involving 48 healthy volunteers and 25 individuals with type 2 diabetes, showing it can lower blood pressure and increase the body’s fat-burning capabilities, leading to longer lives.

The active substance in this new drug is a laboratory-developed compound called ‘Compound 15’, which benefits muscle function but does not overstimulate the heart. “Our results point to a future where we can improve metabolic health without losing muscle mass,” explained Tore Bengtssonprofessor at the Department of Molecular Biosciences, Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University. And that’s important, because “muscle mass is also directly correlated with life expectancy,” he added.

Because Compound 15 works through a different route than GLP-1 treatments, it can be effective as a standalone drug or in combination with other medications, such as Ozempic or Mounjaro, for super-potent results. So for those who have been avoiding GLP-1s because of needles and the possible effects on muscle mass, this is truly great news. “This drug represents a completely new type of treatment and has the potential to be of great benefit to patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity,” said Shane C. Wright, assistant professor at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Karolinska Institutet. “Our drug appears to promote healthy weight loss and patients do not have to take injections.”

When will Compound 15 be made available to the public?

Experts say the next phase in the miracle drug’s rollout will depend on a larger Phase II clinical trial, but doctors and those keen to stay in shape are already excited about the prospect of an obesity or type 2 diabetes drug that can protect muscles, especially given the recent news that Metformin, another popular treatment for type 2 diabetes, may undermine the benefits of exercise.