Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38629387›Full record

SynthesisExpert opinion on pharmacotherapy2024

A systematic review of the effect of semaglutide on lean mass: insights from clinical trials.

Alexia Bikou, Foteini Dermiki-Gkana, Michail Penteris, Theodoros K Constantinides, Christos Kontogiorgis

Registry-linked trialAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07702461 (Determination of Resistance Training Status for Patients on Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists), which is not on this map. Cited by 47 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
47citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
24.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07702461 recruitingstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Determination of Resistance Training Status for Patients on Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists

Ran2026Enrolled300Registered outcomes2Posted comparisons0ConditionsDiabetes (DM), Obesity & OverweightArmsGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Agonist (GLP-1)
PMID 39043396PMID 33239350PMID 35237446PMID 36841762PMID 38937282PMID 41843416other papers from this trial
Open the trial in the graph
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

47 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 60 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Effects of Semaglutide on Muscle Structure and Function in the SLIM LIVER Study.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2025
    Trial
  4. Trial
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Lower fall and femoral fracture risks with semaglutide and tirzepatide compared with DPP-4 inhibitors in older adults with type 2 diabetes.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2026
    Article
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Observational
  18. Article
  19. Females are protected from semaglutide-induced muscle loss inbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026
    Article
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Alexia BikouLaboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Foteini Dermiki-GkanaLaboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Michail PenterisLaboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Theodoros K ConstantinidesLaboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Christos KontogiorgisLaboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Democritus University of Thrace · GR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSemaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, is associated with significant weight loss, yet its impact on lean body mass remains insufficiently understood. This review investigates the effect of semaglutide on lean mass in the context of obesity management. METHODOLOGY: This study investigates through different databases (PubMed, Elsevier, and Google Scholar) from 2016 for randomized control trials (RCTs) or observational studies that assessed the use of semaglutide in overweight or obese patients, regardless of whether they have type 2 diabetes or not. The studies compared semaglutide to a placebo or alternative medications.

resultsSix studies with 1,541 overweight or obese adults were included, and significant weight reductions were observed primarily due to fat mass loss. While the lean mass remained stable in some cases, notable reductions ranging from almost 0% to 40% of total weight reduction were observed in others. Noteworthy decreases in lean mass were particularly evident in larger trials, yet the proportion of lean mass relative to total body mass increased, suggesting a positive overall outcome.

conclusionSemaglutide displays potential for weight loss primarily through fat mass reduction. However, concerns arise from notable reductions in lean mass, especially in trials with a larger number of patients.

Indexed as

Glucagon-Like PeptidesObesityOverweightRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicWeight LossAnti-Obesity AgentsDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsHumansSemaglutideAnti-Obesity AgentsGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsGlucagon-Like PeptidesSemaglutideglucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonistlean mass lossMuscle losssemaglutideweight loss

Identifiers

PMID38629387
OpenAlexW4394874190

What OpenQuestion holds

Texttitle and abstract
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.