How GLP’s Affect Hair and Muscle Loss

A patient of mine asked about losing her hair while on a GLP-1 medication for weight loss. After about 7 months she started to notice a progressive thinning and gradual loss of her hair. I told her that along with fat loss, the GLP-1 medications are related, indirectly, to the loss of 2 other body tissues: hair and lean muscle. GLP-1’s act by decreasing hunger and increasing a sense of fullness that causes a reduced food intake that results in decreased intake of carbohydrates and protein. Both of these are essential nutrients for natural hair growth and muscle preservation. Without adequate carbohydrates and protein intake hair and muscle tissue will be adversely affected and depleted. By eating more than 30-60 grams of carbohydrates and about 60-80 grams of protein a day, these unfortunate losses can be, to a large degree, reversed. However, it will take several months for a normal hair pattern to return. And an increased protein intake must accompany a program of muscle resistance exercises for the rebuilding of lost muscle mass.