"Is It Safe to Keep Using Obesity Medications?"... Startling Study Results Released
by Kim Hyunjeong1
Published 29 Apr.2026 19:08(KST)
Updated 29 Apr.2026 19:12(KST)
Seoul National University Hospital and Others Analyze Over 120 Studies
Potential for "Metabolic Bottleneck" from Muscle Loss and Nutritional Imbalance
"Managing Muscle Mass and Nutrition Is as Important as Weight Loss"
Recent research has found that prolonged use of widely used GLP-1 class obesity treatments, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, can affect the body's metabolic balance.
According to Seoul National University Hospital on April 29, a joint research team led by Professor Baek Sunha of the Department of Neurosurgery at Seoul National University Hospital, Professor Noh Jongryeol of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Bundang CHA Hospital, and researcher Lee Jaewang of LogSync conducted a comprehensive review of approximately 120 papers related to GLP-1 therapies. Their review study suggested this possibility. The research was published in the latest issue of 'Current Obesity Reports.'
GLP-1 class treatments are highly effective for weight loss by suppressing appetite. However, previous studies have reported that these therapies can also cause a decrease in muscle mass and nutritional imbalances. The research team analyzed how these drugs may trigger critical points in the body's energy metabolism processes.
The researchers focused on the possibility that prolonged reduction in food intake could increase the burden on human energy metabolism. When carbohydrate intake decreases, the body shifts to using fat as the main energy source. During this process, the production of reactive oxygen species increases, which can place additional stress on the body's antioxidant systems.
The issue is that if a reduction in food intake leads to insufficient replenishment of nutrients needed to maintain antioxidant function, the body's internal balance could be disrupted. The researchers described this disruption of the body's redox (oxidation-reduction) balance as a 'bottleneck in redox metabolism.'
If this condition persists, muscle loss can accelerate, and deficiencies in micronutrients such as iron and magnesium can reduce enzyme function. It may also affect overall metabolism by lowering the efficiency of nutrient absorption.
The research team emphasized that, to alleviate this metabolic burden, it is important to manage not only weight loss but also muscle mass and nutritional status. Specifically, they suggested an integrated approach that includes tracking changes in muscle mass, ensuring appropriate protein intake, supplementing with micronutrients such as iron and magnesium, and monitoring antioxidant-related markers (such as NAD+).
Professor Baek Sunha stated, "GLP-1 therapy is effective for inducing weight loss, but it also puts the body into a state of chronic energy supply restriction," adding, "It is necessary to shift the paradigm of obesity treatment from simply focusing on weight change to emphasizing 'systemic metabolic stability' as the core."
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