Preserving Skeletal Muscle, Vascular, and Psychosocial Health in the GLP-1/GIP Pharmacotherapy Era (PRESERVE-GLP Lifestyle Trial)

PI: Christopher Sundberg, assistant professor of Geriatrics and Gerontology

Co-Investigators:

Dawn Davis, professor of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism

Adam Konopka, associate professor of Geriatrics and Gerontology

Jeffer Sasaki, assistant professor of Kinesiology

Jill Barnes, associate professor of Kinesiology

Jacob Meyer, assistant professor of Kinesiology

Adam Kuchnia, assistant professor of Nutritional Sciences

Rachel Fenske, scientist in Nutritional Sciences

Description: Medications known as GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists are transforming obesity treatment, with millions of people using these drugs worldwide. While these medications can produce remarkable reductions in body weight, many patients discontinue treatment, often regaining most of the weight lost. Evidence also suggests that a significant portion of the weight loss comes from lean tissue, such as skeletal muscle. Despite the rapid adoption of these therapies, we know surprisingly little about how these cycles of weight loss and weight regain affect other critical aspects of health such as muscle and vascular function, metabolism, and quality of life.

The PRESERVE-GLP study will bring together an interdisciplinary team to examine how these medications influence skeletal muscle, vascular health, metabolic function, and psychosocial well-being as patients start and stop therapy. The findings will catalyze future large-scale, clinical trials aimed at preserving physical function and long-term health in people using these increasingly common obesity treatments.