630: Muscle, metabolism & GLP-1s | Rocio Salas-Whalen, M.D.

“It is more dangerous to your health not to have muscle mass than to have excess body fat,” explains Rocío Salas-Whalen, M.D.

Salas-Whalen, a board-certified Endocrinologist, Obesity Medicine specialist, and widely recognized as one of the earliest adopters of GLP-1 therapies in the United States, joins us today to explain how GLP-1s work, who truly benefits, and the crucial steps you need to take to protect your metabolism along the way.

- How to know if GLP-1s are right for you (~4:00)

- Are there longevity benefits of GLP-1s? (~5:10)

- Types of body composition profiles (~7:00)

- How to protect your muscle mass on GLP-1s (~8:50)

- Protein recommendations (~12:00)

- Common mistakes (~13:00)

- Conversations to have with your provider (~14:25)

- Getting off GLP-1s (~18:05)

- The most important steps to build muscle (~19:30)

- HRT + GLP-1s (~21:30)

- Who should not take GLP-1s (~25:05)

- The importance of lifestyle (~27:55)

- The internal gains of GLP-1s (~29:45)

- The mindset needed for long-term success (~31:35)

- GLP-1s for minors? (~37:55)

- The future of this space (~42:00)

Referenced in the episode: 

- Follow Salas-Whalen on Instagram (@drsalaswhalen) 

- Pick up her book, Weightless (https://weightlessthebook.com/)  

- Work with her (https://www.nyendocrinology.com/home) 

- Liraglutide in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04106-7) 

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