Maintaining muscle mass may play a key role in preventing dementia, as aging often leads to pronounced changes such as decreased mobility and loss of strength. Age-related muscle loss is an inevitable event that affects the physical as well as the mental state of humans. New research suggests maintaining skeletal muscle can be key to supporting cognitive functions and may even play a role in preventing dementia.

A study presented at the Radiological Society of North America's annual meeting revealed that elderly patients with lower skeletal muscle mass had about a 60 percent higher risk of dementia. Skeletal muscle forms one-third of our body weight and tends to atrophy with age, and that muscle decline has broad-ranging effects, from increased physical frailty to potential cognitive decline, said Dr. Marilyn Albert, a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University.

The researchers measured the size of the temporalis muscle, which is part of the jaw region, as a marker of overall skeletal muscle health. Their findings showed a clear link between reduced muscle mass and an elevated risk of dementia. This connection highlights the urgent need to prioritize muscle maintenance, particularly as age-related conditions like sarcopenia and anabolic resistance pose additional challenges.

Why Muscle Maintenance Becomes Harder With Age

This begins around the age of 30. Then, there is a loss of 3-5% muscle mass every decade. But the decline is faster for those aged 50. Contributing factors include sarcopenia, an umbrella syndrome causing progressive loss of muscle and bone mass. And there is anabolic resistance - reduced skeletal muscle synthesis of protein, making it difficult to build and maintain muscle in the presence of exercise.

Despite these challenges, strength training and endurance exercises remain effective strategies to rebuild muscle and enhance overall health.

5 At-Home Strength Exercises to Build and Maintain Muscle

Fortunately, you don't need to join a gym to maintain muscle strength. Here are five simple yet effective exercises into your routine to help preserve muscle mass and support cognitive health.

1. Calf Raises

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Lift onto your toes, keeping your core tight. Hold for 1-2 seconds, then lower back down. Repetitions: Perform 15 reps for 2-3 sets.
• Benefits: Improves lower leg strength and balance.

2. Plank

• Lay face-down and position forearms on the ground. Stretch legs back and curl toes under.
• Press your body against the ground, with it straight and core tight.
• Repetitions: 15-20 seconds holds for 2-3 sets.
• Benefits: Strengthens the core, shoulders, and back muscles.

3. Squat Into Chair

• Stand a half step away from a chair.
• Lower into a squat until you nearly touch the chair, extending arms forward.
• Return to standing, bringing arms back in.
• Repetitions: Repeat for 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.
• Benefits: Strengthens the muscles in the legs as well as helps to better your posture.

4. Elevated Pushups

• Position hands on a wall with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Perform a push-up and lower toward the wall, then return to beginning.
• Repetitions: Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.
• Benefits: Stretches chest, arms, and shoulders with minimal strain.

5. Wall Angels

• Stand with your back against a wall, pressing hips, shoulders, and elbows into the wall.
• Push your arms up into a "Y" shape and then back down.
• Repetitions: Do 10-15 reps for 2-3 sets.
• Benefits: Helps to improve shoulder mobility and posture.

Additional Tips for Muscle Maintenance

Safety and effectiveness are guaranteed by following the given tips:

1. Always warmup at the start and cool down at the end to avoid being injured.

2. Maintain proper posture and control during every movement.

3. Progressively increase weights or resistance bands as strength is enhanced.

4. Complete each movement slowly in order to achieve control and to avoid straining.

5. Give your muscles time to recover and rebuild between sessions.

Weight loss from GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic may also result in some muscle loss, not just fat. Researchers are, therefore, testing whether a second drug could help protect muscle while people lose weight.

According to new trial data, an experimental drug developed by Regeneron called trevogrumab reduced muscle loss when it was taken along with Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy.

It could be a significant development in the GLP-1 weight loss drugs market as researchers are focusing on what kind of weight people are losing rather than how much.

Ozempic Results In Muscle Loss

Ozempic contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 drug that helps lower blood sugar and reduce appetite. As people eat less consistently and lose weight, the body can lose both fat mass and lean mass, which includes muscle.

Reuters reported researchers found that patients who took semaglutide lost 6.7% of their lean muscle mass over 26 weeks in one part of the trial.

This also does not mean that everyone on Ozempic will lose a large amount of muscle. Diet, physical activity, protein intake, age and starting muscle mass can all influence body composition during this weight loss.

But preserving muscle is crucial, especially for older adults and people who already have low muscle mass.

Also read: 2 Indians Charged In US Over Fake Ozempic Scheme: How To Spot Counterfeit GLP-1 Drugs

Could Trevogrumab Help?

Trevogrumab, developed by Regeneron, belongs to a class of drugs that targets myostatin, a protein involved in regulating muscle growth and maintenance.

While semaglutide helps drive weight loss, trevogrumab may help prevent the body from breaking down as much muscle during that process.

In the trial, people who received semaglutide alone lost 6.7% of their lean muscle mass over 26 weeks. Those who received semaglutide along with 75 mg of trevogrumab lost 3.3%, while the group receiving 25 mg lost 4.7%.

That means the higher dose nearly halved the lean-mass loss seen with semaglutide alone.

Also read: 21% In 80 Weeks: Lancet Study Finds Lilly’s Retatrutide Delivers One Of The Biggest Weight Losses Ever

More About The Trial & Trevogrumab

The drug is experimental and has not been approved as a treatment for people taking GLP-1 drugs.

The trial involved nearly 1,000 people aged 18 to 65, and the researchers are continuing to study trevogrumab. Regeneron has selected the 75 mg once-weekly dose for further studies and plans another mid-stage trial involving people over 65.

The larger trial initially included another experimental drug, garetosmab. Two people receiving higher-dose trevogrumab in combination with garetosmab died during the first 26 weeks.

One death had an undetermined cause in a person with multiple cardiovascular risk factors, while the other was due to cardiac arrest in someone with a history of cardiovascular disease. Regeneron said it will not continue developing the triple-drug combination.

Maintaining Muscle Mass During Weight Loss

Muscle is important for strength, mobility, balance and everyday physical function. Losing too much muscle during rapid weight loss could be particularly concerning for older adults, who are already at risk of age-related muscle loss.

This is why the next generation of obesity treatments may focus on more than the number on the weighing scale.

Regeneron executive Boaz Hirshberg said, “What we want to do is concentrate on the quality of weight reduction. We want to find the best way to approach weight reduction, especially in vulnerable patients.”

Most athletes and gym-goers cannot help but boast about the many benefits of creatine. When it comes to boosting performance and supporting muscle growth, this supplement is trusted often.

But a new study suggests that creatine may also have benefits when you are out of the gym. But the researchers caution that it does not mean that creatine can replace exercise, especially strength training.

Researchers at Texas A&M University found that adults who took creatine gained lean tissue and improved muscle strength even when they did not follow a structured exercise programme. The 12-week study was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Could Creatine Help Build Muscle?

The study is based on 64 healthy adults aged 45 to 65 who completed the 12-week intervention. Participants were divided into exercise and non-exercise groups and were randomly assigned to take either 10 grams of creatine monohydrate or a placebo every day.

The exercise group followed resistance and aerobic training three times a week, while the other participants did not follow a structured exercise programme.

Among those who did not exercise, those taking creatine gained about 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg) of lean tissue over 12 weeks. They also improved their leg and bench-press strength. Those who combined creatine with exercise saw even greater improvements in strength.

Creatine occurs naturally in the body and helps cells produce energy. Most of the body's creatine is stored in skeletal muscle, where it helps regenerate ATP, the main source of energy for the cells.

This is one reason creatine has traditionally been associated with better performance during short, intense exercise. The researchers believe its ability to support cellular energy may also help preserve or even increase lean tissue, especially in middle-aged adults.

Also read: 21% In 80 Weeks: Lancet Study Finds Lilly’s Retatrutide Delivers One Of The Biggest Weight Losses Ever

Creatine & Weight Loss

The study also studied whether creatine could help people preserve muscle while losing weight.

Participants following the exercise and low-calorie diet who took creatine gained nearly 3 pounds of lean tissue while reducing fat mass.

The exercise and diet group taking placebo showed little change in lean tissue. Creatine was also associated with a greater reduction in body fat percentage. This could be relevant during weight loss, when some muscle loss may occur along with fat loss.

No, Creatine Will Not Replace Exercise

The small study is lasted only 12 weeks and also involved healthy adults aged 45 to 65, so the results cannot be applied to younger people, older adults with health conditions, or other people with muscle disorders.

The findings are also somewhat different from the much larger body of evidence showing that creatine's most established benefits occur when it is combined with resistance training.

Maintaining muscle becomes crucial with age. Loss of muscle mass and strength can affect mobility and physical function. The Texas A&M researchers say the findings add to growing interest in creatine as a tool for healthy ageing and maintaining muscle.

Eli Lilly’s highly anticipated GLP-1 weight-loss drug retatrutide has delivered nearly 21% average weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity, according to results from a large Phase 3 trial published in The Lancet. In an ever-expanding weight loss medication market, retatrutide is already showing significant promise in obesity and diabetes management.

The drug, retatrutide, is being developed by Eli Lilly and is not approved by the FDA yet. In the TRIUMPH-2 trial, people receiving the highest 12 mg dose lost an average of 20.8% of their body weight over 80 weeks, equivalent to about 49.6 pounds or 22.5 kg.

The findings about retatrutide's trial were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) annual meeting in Milan and published simultaneously in The Lancet.

How Is Retatrutide Different From Other GLP-1 Drugs?

Retatrutide is a triple agonist because it activates three hormone receptors:

• GIP
• GLP-1
• Glucagon

GLP-1-based medicines are already widely used for diabetes and obesity. Retatrutide activates GIP and glucagon pathways as well, creating a three-way approach to manage appetite, blood sugar and metabolism. The drug is given once weekly by injection and remains experimental and investigational.

Also read: World Heart Day: You Feel Healthy. But Plaque May Already Be Building In Your Arteries In Your 20s

Retatrutide Weight Loss Results

TRIUMPH-2 included adults with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes. Participants receiving retatrutide were assigned to 4 mg, 9 mg or 12 mg doses and followed for 80 weeks. The average weight loss was:

• 4 mg: 12.7%
• 9 mg: 19.1%
• 12 mg: 20.8%
• Placebo: 4.0%

The response was even greater among participants who started the study with a BMI of at least 35. Those receiving 12 mg lost an average of 23.4% of their body weight, or about 60.8 pounds.

By week 80, 59.5% of people taking 12 mg no longer met the BMI criteria for obesity.

Also read: 100% Blockage At 18, 25% Patients Under 40: On World Heart Day, Cardiologists Reveal An Alarming Heart Attack Pattern

Retatrutide Blood Sugar Results

Retatrutide not only led to one of the biggest weight losses ever seen, it also improved HbA1c, a measure of average blood glucose over the previous two to three months. At 80 weeks, HbA1c fell by:

• 1.4 percentage points with 4 mg
• 1.6 percentage points with 9 mg
• 1.5 percentage points with 12 mg

Up to 40% of participants receiving retatrutide achieved an HbA1c below 5.7%, which is within the normal range.

The Next Big Weight-Loss Drug?

The results are certainly seem promising, particularly as people with type 2 diabetes can sometimes lose less weight with obesity medicines than people without diabetes.

Retatrutide's combination of substantial weight loss and improved blood sugar control makes it an important drug to watch in a competitive GLP-1 market.

Since it's not approved yet, more evidence will be needed on its long-term safety, cardiovascular effects and how its benefits compare with existing treatments. It is also worth remembering that the 20.8% figure represents an average, not the amount every participant lost.

Retatrutide's development is a sign that obesity and diabetes treatment is extending beyond just managing blood sugar. The next generation of drugs is all about targeting weight, glucose and metabolism together.