Developing Nutraceutical Companion Solutions to Support Long-Term GLP-1 User Well-Being

GLP-1 medications have found undeniable success in the market and among users. In fact, research from Statista suggests 1 in 8 Americans now use GLP-1 drugs.¹ Beyond weight loss, the benefits range from lowering the risk of cardiovascular events and protecting kidney and liver function, to emerging applications in improving cognitive health and reducing addictive behaviors.²

As the category grows, supplement brands could have an important role to play in helping GLP-1 users achieve sustainable, healthy outcomes beyond simply lowering numbers on the scale. But this depends on how well the industry understands what these users actually need, and there are some early assumptions that don’t hold up.

In this article, we address 4 common myths around GLP-1 users’ experiences, revealing why and how next-generation companion solutions can capitalize on evidence-backed support tailored to their specific challenges.

Myth #1: GLP-1 Weight Loss Is Mainly Fat Loss

While it’s tempting to assume that GLP-1-driven weight loss must mean healthy weight loss, body composition data tells a more complicated story. A 2025 meta-analysis found that GLP-1 receptor agonists reduced lean mass alongside total body weight, and lean mass loss accounted for approximately 25% of total weight loss.³ Another study found that total lean body mass decreased from baseline by 9.7% across over 68 weeks of GLP-1-assisted weight loss, even though the proportion of lean body mass relative to total body mass increased by 3%.

This distinction between weight loss and lean mass loss matters, because the latter can impact strength, mobility, metabolic health and long-term weight maintenance. These factors are all critical to the GLP-1 user’s quality of life, both in terms of feeling great on a day-to-day basis and empowered in their broader pursuit of lasting well-being. This points to a need for targeted, clinically grounded support around body composition and lean muscle mass preservation.

Myth #2: Generic Protein Supplements Are Enough to Protect Muscle Mass

The instinct to reach for protein supplementation as a GLP-1 companion is understandable. Where GLP-1 users face real muscle attrition risk, protein effectively supports muscle health. But the physiological challenges of GLP-1 use, which range from simultaneous muscle loss, fatigue, and altered metabolic efficiency, represent a specific cluster of needs that a standard macronutrient load alone cannot fully address.⁵ When intake is actively constrained by medication, the challenge revolves around protein adequacy, recovery and micronutrient quality.

For instance, reduced intake often leaves users below muscle-preserving protein targets, while GLP-1 use is associated with recurrent vitamin D, iron, calcium, and B-vitamin gaps, and resistance exercise remains key for protecting muscle mass.^6,7,8

That’s why the next wave of GLP-1 companion innovation needs to be more precisely tailored for users’ specific requirements and accompanying muscle preservation needs. Rather than relying on simple macronutrient loads, formulators should look to bioactives or targeted nutritional support for energy levels and exercise tolerance to complement protein supplementation.

Myth #3: A Lighter Body Automatically Equals Higher Energy

Along with lean muscle mass loss, another key factor impacting GLP-1 user experience is reduced energy levels. A common assumption is that a lower number on the scale should translate into better day-to-day energy. In reality, appetite suppression; reduced caloric intake averaging 20–25% less than before; and rapid weight loss can leave some GLP-1 users feeling less energetic, especially during the early months of treatment.^{9,10,11,12,13}

Far from being merely inconvenient, fatigue can reflect nutrient deficiency, with expert guidance listing fatigue, muscle weakness and poor intake as warning signs during calorie reduction on GLP-1 medications.^14,15 That makes nutritional and medical management of altered dietary intakes critical for preventing nutrient deficiencies and preserving muscle and bone mass during GLP-1 use.¹⁴

Myth #4: The Journey Ends at the Target Weight

Many believe that the weight management journey ends once the scales reflect the goal. However, evidence suggests that the post-weight-loss phase may be as important as the loss phase itself. A scientific review found that around 60% of weight lost during treatment was regained one year after stopping GLP-1 use, with regain estimated to plateau at around 75% over time.¹⁶ Naturally, not every user will follow the same trajectory, but the risk of weight regain and GLP-1 use reinitiation is high. Long-term maintenance has therefore become central to the GLP-1 conversation.

Accordingly, long-term user intent and medical use are already becoming more common. Sixty percent of surveyed users plan to stay on their medication regularly for a year or more, while medical professionals increasingly view these drugs as essential tools for the ongoing management of chronic metabolic diseases.^17,18

The market is also transitioning from a short-term diet mindset to a "behavior-changing ecosystem," where consumers report healthier lifestyles alongside medication usage.¹⁹ Users have reported a reduction in "food noise" or constant food-related thoughts, allowing them to move from impulsive cravings to conscious, healthy choices as part of a broader psychological shift.²⁰

Supporting a thriving, long-term GLP-1 user journey

Ultimately, to stay ahead of these changing consumer needs, it’s vital for supplement manufacturers to reassess how they can support GLP-1 users in feeling better and improving quality of life as they continue on a long-term pursuit of health and well-being. The opportunity is real, as the GLP-1 nutritional support market is set to triple to $13 billion by 2035.¹⁸

Eighty-three percent of GLP-1 users are also "very interested" in products specifically marketed as supportive of their needs while on the medication.²¹ More notably, the market is now mature enough for targeted, evidence-led companion products.As GLP-1 medications continue to reshape consumer goals and priorities around well-being, it’s high time for the category to pivot toward clinically credible companion solutions that support long-term user needs.

In this landscape, the winning products will be those that can demonstrate relevance to the GLP-1 user’s actual lived experiences around lower intake and energy levels, lean mass risk, and the challenge of staying on therapy.

The practical takeaway for formulators and brands? Look beyond generic diet support to proven solutions that address a defined need state, use substantiated claims, and help users stay on track with their health to confidently sustain results and feel great over time.

About the Author

Teresa Pellicer, PhD, is HTBA’s project manager for biotechnology.

References

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