Muscle Matters: The Effects of Medically Induced Weight Loss on Skeletal Muscle

Muscle Matters: The Effects of Medically Induced Weight Loss on Skeletal Muscle,” discusses the important role of muscle mass in both physical and metabolic health.

In fact, muscle mass is not only essential for movement, strength, and balance but is also important in regulating metabolic functions such as glucose homeostasis, fat metabolism, and even immune response.

Muscle tissue acts as a primary site for glucose uptake, helping to regulate blood sugar levels, assisting in preventing insulin resistance.

But that’s not “all”: muscle serves as a reservoir for amino acids too, which are necessary for protein synthesis, tissue repair, and recovery from stress, illness/trauma.

The maintenance of muscle mass is also linked to better fat metabolism, as muscle promotes the breakdown of fat and supports overall energy expenditure. Beyond its metabolic roles, muscle-derived myokines—signaling molecules produced by muscle cells—help regulate inflammation and immune function, further underscoring the broader health benefits of muscle mass.

What happens when muscle is lost?

When muscle mass decreases, the body’s ability to manage blood sugar is technically reduced. Now, this has to be contextualized because not only the size but also the quality of the muscle matters, as well as the physical activity that we perform, however: “Muscle mass greatly influences glucose homoeostasis by taking up glucose in response to insulin, thus maintaining normoglycaemia” [Prado CM et al. 2024]

Fat metabolism also becomes less efficient, and the body’s ability to respond to stress or recover from illness is diminished due to the reduced availability of amino acids. This decline in muscle health can lead to poorer physical function and increased vulnerability to metabolic and immune-related disorders.

What does this mean in practice?

Well, it means that muscle mass is *crucial* for overall health, and it not only impacts physical capabilities but also key metabolic processes that promote long-term well-being​. As always exercise is medicine, so get active, go to the gym… and do it for life!