Creatine kinase elevations on GLP-1 — looking for input

Dr.PulmRoch said:

Sharing my comprehensive lab data relevant to lean mass: Biomarker Baseline Month 3 Month 6 Month 9 Weight (lbs) 289 234 229 209 A1C (%) 6.9 6.9 6.2…

Back pain as a lean mass side effect: not from the medication itself, but from rapid body composition changes. Losing 63 lbs shifts your center of gravity and your core muscles need time to adjust.

Physical therapy has been essential. Core strengthening exercises (planks, dead bugs, bird dogs) daily for 10 minutes have eliminated my lower back pain. Your body is literally relearning how to carry itself.

Dr.PulmRoch said:

Sharing my comprehensive lab data relevant to lean mass: Biomarker Baseline Month 3 Month 6 Month 9 Weight (lbs) 289 234 229 209 A1C (%) 6.9 6.9 6.2…

That reframing is the part I needed. Printing the relevant bit and taking it with me.

Adding the clinical framing, because it changes how the question reads.

Physical therapist weighing in on lean mass. I work with bariatric and metabolic patients daily.

The resistance training evidence is critical here:

The Lundgren 2024 JAMA paper[1] showed that structured resistance training preserved 73% more lean mass in GLP-1 patients vs medication alone. When discussing lean mass, we MUST include the exercise component.

My minimum prescription: 3x/week compound movements (squat, deadlift, press, row), progressive overload, 7-10K steps/day, and 1.2-1.6g protein/kg/day.

traveltech_sara said:

Physical therapist weighing in on lean mass.

Mine went the same way, slower. I had assumed I was the exception until I read this.

traveltech_sara said:

Physical therapist weighing in on lean mass.

There is a second half to this that has not been said yet. Most of what circulates confidently in this community traces back to one summary of one study, and the qualifier was dropped somewhere in the third retelling.