Hair loss and muscle atrophy: Why "Ozempic Face" is not the only side effect of GLP-1 supplements

Ozempic has many side effects – many patients are now reporting muscle atrophy and hair loss.

Since Ozempic came to the public eye, there have been numerous claims about its benefits and effects. Drugs like Ozempic and similar GLP-1 preparations (such as Mounjaro, Wegovy, Rybelsus, and Zepbound) are approved exclusively for the treatment of type 2 diabetes or for weight loss in cases of medically indicated obesity, i.e., a BMI over 30 or over 27 with comorbidities, and should only be taken under medical supervision. Use without medical necessity is not recommended. Nevertheless, many people, especially public figures who do not fall into this category, take such medications to lose weight. However, there are some documented disadvantages associated with this.

Many are familiar with the infamous "Ozempic face." The term describes a face that has sunken in due to rapid weight loss, which can lead to a noticeably older appearance. "The ' Ozempic face ' can look gaunt, saggy, and droopy," New York-based facial surgeon Jennifer Levine told American Vogue. "Imagine a raisin instead of a grape." Now, more and more users of the supplements are discovering that Ozempic and similar GLP-1 supplements can also affect other things: namely, hair growth and muscle strength. What's going on?

Does Ozempic cause hair loss?

Although some studies link these medications to hair loss , experts say this isn't a direct side effect of GLP-1 supplements like Ozempic or other medications like Mounjaro. Dr. Marisa Garshick , a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS in New York, explains that it's more likely an indirect result of rapid weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, or stress to the body. " Telogen effluvium is a form of hair loss that occurs several months after a change or stress to the body," says Dr. Garshick (similar to the hair loss some have observed after COVID-19). "Therefore, people taking GLP-1 may not notice hair loss or thinning for several months."

Therefore, muscle loss when losing weight with GLP-1 supplements is particularly strong

As for muscle loss , this is a common side effect of weight loss, whether it's through diet, exercise, surgery, or a medication like Ozempic. Holly Lofton , a physician and director of the Medical Weight Management Program at NYU Langone Health, tells American Vogue that experts are finding that medications like Wegovy and Zepbound cause the same amount of muscle loss as traditional weight-loss methods—sometimes even more extreme. Studies show that 25 to 30 percent of total weight loss caused by calorie restriction and exercise is lean body mass, or muscle . So, if someone loses about 10 kilograms, about two to three kilograms of that weight loss could be muscle mass. Studies on medications like Wegovy and Zepbound show that patients can lose about 15 to 22 percent of their total weight , with about 25 percent of that weight loss being lean muscle mass. "These medications aren't necessarily muscle-sparing," she says. "However, because people tend to lose more overall weight with such medications, the absolute muscle loss can be greater unless you intervene with weight training and adequate protein intake ."

What can be done about it?

There are some things you can do to reduce the hair and muscle loss that can occur when taking these medications. Dr. Garshick points out that it's normal to lose about 50 to 100 hairs a day, so you should only be concerned if you're losing significantly more hair or if your hair loss lasts longer than three to six months. In this case, she recommends consulting a dermatologist for a thorough examination. "Because telogen effluvium is considered a temporary process, it's possible that once weight stabilizes, hair loss will slow down and hair growth will resume and return to normal without the need for any specific intervention," she says. "While this process can take six to 12 months, reassuring people that it will get better on its own is often enough."

What helps against hair loss?

She recommends having a blood test to determine if there are any hormonal changes or nutritional deficiencies, which can be addressed through diet (adequate protein intake is important) or taking supplements like Nutrafol . You can also try volumizing shampoos and leave-in products to increase hair density. For more extensive hair loss, you may also consider PRP treatment , in which plasma from your own blood is injected into the scalp to stimulate hair growth.

The role of training and proteins

According to Dr. Lofton, the key to rebuilding muscle loss is adequate protein intake and increasing muscle-building training. She recommends a minimum intake of 60 grams of protein per day, which comes from high-quality protein sources such as eggs, whey, animal meat, or beans. Weekly exercise should be at least 75 minutes, but if you really want to maintain or build muscle, she advises increasing the total time to around 240 minutes per week, if possible.

These tips can also be helpful for people suffering from muscle atrophy and hair loss due to other causes. It's important to note that GLP-1 supplements are not an easy weight loss tool for everyone; they are approved ONLY for the treatment of type 2 diabetes or for weight reduction in cases of medically indicated obesity.

This article originally appeared onVogue.com .

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