Muscle Is the Currency of Aging: Using GLP-1s, Protein, Peptides & Gut Health to Protect It

You’ve probably heard it:

“Use it or lose it.”

When it comes to aging well, muscle is the currency. The more you have – and the longer you keep it – the better you move, recover, and live.

But here’s the catch: GLP-1s can help you lose fat… and muscle if you’re not careful.

Let’s not do that.

Why Muscle Matters More Than the Scale

Muscle:

• Stabilizes joints and reduces injury
• Keeps resting metabolic rate higher
• Improves insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control
• Supports balance and mobility as you age

For athletes and high-achieving women, muscle is what lets you:

• Run races without falling apart
• Carry groceries and kids without hurting your back
• Get off the floor easily at 50

You don’t want to be “smaller.” You want to be stronger.

GLP-1s + Muscle: The Risk and the Fix

GLP-1s can:

• Suppress appetite
• Reduce overall calorie intake
• Lead to fast weight loss

If you’re under-eating protein and not lifting, your body will burn some muscle along with fat. That’s not a GLP-1 problem; that’s a strategy problem.

To protect muscle:

• Aim for 0.8–1.0 grams of protein per pound of goal bodyweight
• Strength train at least 2–3x/week (full-body focus)
• Keep weight loss to ~1-2 lb/week on average, not 5 lbs

If you literally can’t get protein in because your appetite is too low? That’s a sign your dose may be too high, not a sign to just “suck it up.”

Peptides That Support Muscle & Recovery

From the transcript you shared, several peptides come up:

• Growth hormone–releasing peptides (like tesamorelin/sermorelin):
  Help support recovery, fat loss, and lean mass when used appropriately.
• Glycine:
• Supports deep sleep and parasympathetic “rest and digest”
• Is part of collagen (skin, joints, connective tissue)
• Helps with blood sugar regulation
• L-carnitine:
• Helps shuttle fat into mitochondria for fuel
• Can reduce post-workout soreness
• Supports thyroid hormone (T3) utilization and energy

You don’t need everything, but stacking the right tools on top of GLP-1s and smart training can help preserve – and sometimes even build – lean mass.

How Gut Health Impacts Muscle

Your gut influences:

• How well you absorb protein and amino acids
• Chronic inflammation levels that break muscle down
• Insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control (critical for recovery)

An inflamed gut = a hostile environment for muscle.

Gut-supporting basics that also protect muscle:

• Chew your food thoroughly (mechanical digestion = better absorption)
• Eat whole-food proteins (fish, eggs, poultry, grass-fed meats, lentils, tofu)
• Add digestive support (like bitters, enzymes, or HCl) if needed, under guidance
• Avoid the “liquid sugar” trap (sodas, fancy coffees, juice) that thrash blood sugar

Your GLP-1 is helping with food noise and metabolic chaos. Your job is to use that window to feed the muscle, not starve it.